Medication use is the predominant form of health intervention in our society. And as we age, the likelihood of medication use increases dramatically, with more than 80 percent of those over age 65 using one or more medications. Along with that, the potential for medication errors also increases. Indeed adverse drug reactions (ADRs) and adverse drug events (ADEs) are a significant problem in older adults. Written in a practical format by contributors from Australia and the United States, Medication Management in Older Adults: A Concise Guide for Clinicians presents the available evidence on research interventions designed to reduce the incidence of medication errors in older adults, with a focus on acute, subacute, and residential (long-term) care settings. Because medication errors can occur at all stages in the medication process, from prescription by physicians to delivery of medication to the patient by nurses, and in any site in the health system, it is essential that interventions be targeted at all aspects of medication delivery. Chapters cover the principles of medical ethics in relation to medication management; common medication errors in the acute care sector; medication management in long-term care settings; nutrition and medications; the outcomes of a systematic review; dose form alterations; Electronic Health Records (EHR), Computerized Order Entry (COE), Beers criteria; and pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. For those clinicians especially concerned with providing the best possible outcomes for their older adult patients, Medication Management in Older Adults: A Concise Guide for Clinicians is an invaluable resource and a significant contribution to the burgeoning literature on medication errors.

"Nurses play a vital role in improving the safety and quality of patient car -- not only in the hospital or ambulatory treatment facility, but also of community-based care and the care performed by family members. Nurses need know what proven techniques and interventions they can use to enhance patient outcomes. To address this need, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), with additional funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, has prepared this comprehensive, 1,400-page, handbook for nurses on patient safety and quality -- Patient Safety and Quality: An Evidence-Based Handbook for Nurses. (AHRQ Publication No. 08-0043)." - online AHRQ blurb, http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/nurseshdbk/

Medication Management in Care of Older People is an accessible introduction to medication management and its role in the management of older people and their medicines. It addresses key issues in medication management, evaluates professional roles and clinical practice initiatives and explores healthcare policy and prescribing initiatives. This text explores the biology and neurobiology of ageing, pathological conditions such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease, medication errors, issues of concordance, long term conditions and the older person, the principles of applied pharmacology and its relationship to older people. Medication Management in Care of Older People will be of interest to health care professionals who either have an interest in medication management and older people, or who are qualified independent or supplementary prescribers, and will enable them to comprehend the principles of applied pharmacology and medication management to enable them to use this knowledge in their daily practice. Illustrates the current issues, concerns and approaches used to manage older people and their medicines. Builds on pertinent current policy and research initiatives including the NSF for Older People and 'Building a Safer NHS for Patients: the role of medication safety' Each chapter features case studies, learning outcomes and implications for practice “I found this book to be interesting and highly relevant to OT practice. I would recommend this book as a learning resource to inform, review and support clinical therapy practice. Occupational Therapists could well appreciate many of the contributory factors relating to medication problems with Older People, using this resource could raise own standards, but also assist with reducing the negative impacts of medication issues on older people.” - Sarah Montgomery, A&E Occupational Therapist and Communications Officer, (COT Specialist Section Older People), London, UK

As the first of the nation's 78 million baby boomers begin reaching age 65 in 2011, they will face a health care workforce that is too small and woefully unprepared to meet their specific health needs. Retooling for an Aging America calls for bold initiatives starting immediately to train all health care providers in the basics of geriatric care and to prepare family members and other informal caregivers, who currently receive little or no training in how to tend to their aging loved ones. The book also recommends that Medicare, Medicaid, and other health plans pay higher rates to boost recruitment and retention of geriatric specialists and care aides. Educators and health professional groups can use Retooling for an Aging America to institute or increase formal education and training in geriatrics. Consumer groups can use the book to advocate for improving the care for older adults. Health care professional and occupational groups can use it to improve the quality of health care jobs.

This open access book provides a comprehensive perspective on the concept of ageism, its origins, the manifestation and consequences of ageism, as well as ways to respond to and research ageism. The book represents a collaborative effort of researchers from over 20 countries and a variety of disciplines, including, psychology, sociology, gerontology, geriatrics, pharmacology, law, geography, design, engineering, policy and media studies. The contributors have collaborated to produce a truly stimulating and educating book on ageism which brings a clear overview of the state of the art in the field. The book serves as a catalyst to generate research, policy and public interest in the field of ageism and to reconstruct the image of old age and will be of interest to researchers and students in gerontology and geriatrics.

The third edition of the definitive international reference book on all aspects of the medical care of older persons will provide every physician involved in the care of older patients with a comprehensive resource on all the clinical problems they are likely to encounter, as well as on related psychological, philosophical, and social issues.

Family caregiving affects millions of Americans every day, in all walks of life. At least 17.7 million individuals in the United States are caregivers of an older adult with a health or functional limitation. The nation's family caregivers provide the lion's share of long-term care for our older adult population. They are also central to older adults' access to and receipt of health care and community-based social services. Yet the need to recognize and support caregivers is among the least appreciated challenges facing the aging U.S. population. Families Caring for an Aging America examines the prevalence and nature of family caregiving of older adults and the available evidence on the effectiveness of programs, supports, and other interventions designed to support family caregivers. This report also assesses and recommends policies to address the needs of family caregivers and to minimize the barriers that they encounter in trying to meet the needs of older adults.