Geriatric Diseases: Characteristics and Preventive Measures

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: For the remembrance of the first 'Older People's Day' on Goober 2nd, The Korean Geriatrics Society (KGS) held geriatric conference for the improvement of the health on the aged. We summarized the discussion. RESULTS: We generally agree that many of the conditions of decrepit old age are not time-determined, but are the results of preventable and tretable illness. Rates of aging and senescence vary markedly in the aged. This has also been observed in different organ systems of the body. The comprehensive geriatric assessment developed in response to the complexity of medical, psychological and social problems occurred in older people It will be more necessary to develop Korean culture specific assessment tools. The proportion of the aged population to the whole is expected to reach 6.8% in the year 2000 and 12.5 % in 2020, forecasting that Korea will indeed enter the era of an aging society in the early 21s1 century. In Korea, geriatric diseases have the characteristic structure having multiple entities. The most common medical problem is arthralgia (with 57.8 % of 65 and older). In Korea, there are three kinds of medical care programs for the aged . medical insurance, medical assistance, and health screening, CONCLUSION: The desire for the improvement of older people's health is increasing now in Korea. Thus KGS suggests 'The Guideline for The Age'.