title: Caring for the older patient, Part I: The relationship of theory to practice.
abstract: This is the first article of a four-part series on gerontology and its applications to the care of elderly patients in nuclear medicine. The series includes discussions about the theories of aging, approaches to meeting the special needs of the elderly and ethical dilemmas in caring for the elderly. It also reviews anatomical and physiological changes associated with aging and the role of nuclear medicine studies in caring for the elderly. Upon completion of this article, the reader should be able to: (a) describe the aging U.S. population by citing demographic data; (b) identify the theories of aging and distinguish their major characteristics; (c) differentiate a gerontologic approach from a geriatric approach in caring for the elderly; and (d) recognize factors important to the delivery of effective care for the elderly.
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Imaging and Therapy, University of Alabama at Birmingham 35294-1270, USA.
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Dowd
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Steves
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Durick
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged / Q000502:physiology; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D004995:Ethics, Professional; D005853:Geriatrics; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006299:Health Services for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D009683:Nuclear Medicine; D011157:Population Dynamics; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D014481:United States