Course Information

Care of the Elderly

Care of the Elderly

This module examines a range of topics commonly experienced when caring for elderly patients and will provide a practical approach to managing: falls, multiple medications, cognitive changes, and weight loss. These are all problems that family physicians deal with each week if not daily. The impact of excellent care with these “geriatric giants” includes improved quality of life, delayed placement, hospital avoidance and cost savings. Managing these issues well is also satisfying and rewarding for the family physician and of vital importance to the older person and their families. Without excellent family medicine care of the geriatric patient, the impact of the ageing population on our healthcare system and society will be even greater.

After completing this course the learner will be able to:

  • List at least 5 of the most common causes/contributing factors related to weight loss in the elderly and list initial investigations;
  • Describe behaviours/presentations suggestive of cognitive impairment and describe the evaluation to distinguish between depression, delirium, and dementia;
  • Demonstrate the ability to review a medication list and identify medications contributing to functional and cognitive decline and other iatrogenic illnesses commonly seen in older patients (including falls, urinary incontinence, weight loss);
  • Describe an approach to falls that incorporates management of co-morbid conditions and multiple medications; and
  • Identify and list risk issues existing for an older person living at home (including falls, malnutrition, driving, medication adverse events, non-adherence, and elder abuse.)

This project was funded by unrestricted educational grant from the Canadian Medical Association.

Course Registration

Care of the Elderly

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Credits


Expiry Date

This course expires on
Saturday, April 9, 2016


Course Author(s):

  • Christopher Frank MD, CCFP, FCFP
  • Michelle Gibson MD, MEd, CCFP
  • Frank Molnar MSc, MDCM, FRCPC

Planning Committee:

  • Catherine Seviour MD, FRCP (EM)
  • Robert Lam MD, CCFP
  • Samuel Shortt MD, PhD, FCFP
  • Pierre Arsenault MD, PhD, CCFP, CPI