Healthy Aging in the Changing World.

In the context of the very welcome increase in longevity of Europeans over the last 50 years, geriatric medicine has evolved as a speciality to meet the challenges of the increased complexities of healthcare in later life. Blending the principles of gerontology (the science of ageing), internal medicine, rehabilitation and palliative care, geriatric medicine is now recognized as an effective instrument to deliver high-quality, humane, interdisciplinary, appropriate and cost-effective care to older people, proportionately the most significant group of healthcare users in all European populations. Through a wide range of services, including acute geriatric medicine (reducing death and disability by more than 25% compared to internal medicine), falls clinics, ambulatory assessment, dementia services, support for nursing home residents, the specialty has made a major impact in those countries where it is well established.

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