Old Age Psychiatry
Age Changes Brain weight decreases by 20% from its young adult weight by the age of 90. Selective neuronal loss of 5–50%, and cells tend to shrink. Fifteen to twenty…
Bones, Joints and Muscles
Bones Age Changes Bone structure changes throughout life owing to ongoing bone resorption by osteoclasts and bone growth by osteoblasts. With increasing age, the balance is lost, leading to a…
Eyes, Ears, Mouth and Skin
Eyes Age-Related Changes 1. Eyes appear sunken due to loss of periorbital fat. 2. Arcus senilis (deposition of calcium and cholesterol salts in a ring at the edge of the…
Other Diseases of the Nervous System
Age Changes and Clinical Examination 1. A full neurological examination can be an ordeal for both a frail elderly patient and their doctor. Patience and understanding are required by both…
Stroke Made Simple
Importance Anyone can have a stroke, including babies and children, but the vast majority (90%) of strokes affect people aged over 55. Each year over 150,000 people in the UK…
Health and Social Care for Elderly People in the UK
How Many Older People are There? The UK population topped 60 million for the first time in 2005. As well as increasing, the population is ageing, with the biggest percentage…
Falls and Immobility
Falls Age changes Reduced visual acuity, reduced contrast sensitivity and slower dark adaptation. Balance impairment secondary to loss of labyrinthine hair cells reducing vestibular input. Sarcopenia: loss of muscle mass…
Special Features of Medicine in the Elderly
The Ageing of Populations We have seen that the proportion of elderly citizens increased in developed countries during the 20th century and similar changes are happening even faster in less…
Legal and Ethical Aspects of Medical Care of Elderly People
Driving in Later Life UK law obliges everyone to surrender their driving licence at the age of 70. A new licence is issued, which is valid for 3 years but can…
Genitourinary Disease
Age Changes 1. In old age, renal function is reduced to about 50% of the peak at 30 years. 2. Serum urea may remain in the normal range despite deteriorating…
