Adult and Geriatric Health in the Community
Core concepts
Adult and geriatric community care focuses on chronic disease management, functional assessment, falls prevention, polypharmacy, cognitive screening, and palliative care. Know geriatric syndromes (falls, incontinence, delirium, frailty) and comprehensive geriatric assessment. Understand home safety, nutrition, social support, and elder abuse screening.
Traps in questions
- Attributing symptoms to normal aging when they signal disease (e.g., delirium).
- Missing drug interactions in polypharmacy.
- Ignoring falls risk and home hazards.
- Overlooking elder abuse and neglect.
- Confusing delirium (acute, fluctuating) with dementia (chronic, progressive).
Worked example / rule of thumb
An older adult with sudden confusion and a urinary tract infection likely has delirium-treat the cause and refer. Rule of thumb: acute change = delirium until proven otherwise. Always review medications and home hazards.
Key teaching points
Screen for falls, polypharmacy, and abuse. Distinguish delirium from dementia. Functional status guides care planning.