title: [Advanced organ failure in the elderly. Some issues from a geriatrics, palliative medicine and bioethics perspectives].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the literature as regards the knowledge, skills and attitudes that these disciplines can provide in improving technical, ethical and human quality health care in the elderly with advanced organ failure, multimorbidity, frailty and progressive dementia.
  
  
  METHODS
  A comprehensive review focused on available references on the interrelationship between geriatric medicine and palliative medicine, education in bioethics, prognostic tools, functional status, and the humanization of health care.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Advance care planning, comprehensive geriatric assessment, the study of the values of the patient and their introduction in decision-making process, as well as the need to promote moral, care, and healthcare organizational ethics, are essential elements to achieve this objective.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Practitioners and healthcare organizations should seek excellence as a moral requirement. To achieve this, there is a priority to acquire virtues of care and fundamental concepts of geriatric and palliative medicine, assessing functional status, advance care planning and patient/family needs as essential issues to protect, care for and promote them in all care settings.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Geriatría, Complejo Hospitalario de Navarra A, Pamplona, España. Electronic address: javialonsorenedo@yahoo.es.
authors.forename: Francisco Javier
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Alonso-Renedo
authors.affiliation: Servicios Sociales Aita Menni, Residencia Joxemiel Barandiaran, Durango, Vizcaya, España.
authors.forename: Leire
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: González-Ercilla
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Geriatría, Complejo Hospitalario de Navarra A, Pamplona, España.
authors.forename: Itziar
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Iráizoz-Apezteguía
mesh_terms: D032722:Advance Care Planning; D000368:Aged; D001675:Bioethics; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D005853:Geriatrics; D006801:Humans; D063305:Organ Dysfunction Scores; D065126:Palliative Medicine
keywords: Advance care planning; Bioethics; Bioética; Cuidados al final de la vida; End-of-life care; Geriatric medicine; Medicina geriátrica; Medicina paliativa; Palliative medicine; Planificación anticipada de decisiones