Geriatrics is a discipline doctor who studies diseases that occur in ' old and their disabling consequences, with the basic objective of delaying functional decline and mental health, while maintaining the ' self-sufficiency and better quality of life possible.
The gerontology, geriatrics is a branch of trying to identify the mechanisms organic 's aging and senescence , in addition to matters social and psychological , occurring in old age, and who are able to directly influence the state of health and the onset typical disease of the elderly.
The geriatrician is that doctors working having in mind the concepts provided by the Gerontology; is not uncommon the name of " medical gerontologist. "
History
Geriatrics and gerontology are closely related to internal medicine , geriatrics has established itself initially in the 40s and 50s in England and the United States .
Marjory Warren, a surgeon at the Middlesex Hospital, can be considered the initiator of geriatrics: showed that the elderly in the hospital receiving inadequate treatment, diagnostic summary, and in need of multidisciplinary rehabilitation interventions.
Lionel Cosin, a surgeon, is considered the pioneer dell'ortogeriatria: he coined the phrase B is bad ("the lure is negative), and drastically reduced the duration of stay for fracture of the femur.
E. Brooke stated that the assessment at home could improve the quality of care for the elderly.