Читать книгу Pathy's Principles and Practice of Geriatric Medicine - Группа авторов - Страница 17

Foreword

This Sixth Edition of Pathy’s Principles and Practice of Geriatric Medicine, first published in 1990, continues to be a valuable and authoritative resource for healthcare professionals involved in the care of older patients. Each subsequent edition has been revised and reorganized, always with the goal to provide an accessible, updated, practical source of consultation. Although particularly intended for geriatricians and gerontologists, this book is also a resource not easily obtained elsewhere for anyone whose work connects with the field of ageing and/or who cares for older people.

This edition of the textbook has been deeply revised; new chapters have been added to reflect the recent enormous increase in the knowledge base of gerontology, as well as in clinical medicine and healthcare systems. Although its main focus is geriatric medicine, the first part of the book deals with the biological, psychological and social aspects of aging, which are deeply relevant to the health of older people. The main part of the book deals with the clinical aspects of geriatric medicine, providing comprehensive coverage of the major diseases affecting the older population, without unnecessary duplication of topics presented in textbook of Internal Medicine. The third part deals with global healthcare systems; special attention is given to geriatric education and quality of care issues, which have changed with recent progress in medical research and clinical practice.

The ageing of the population represents societal challenges and their enormous and multifaced impact. This trend is impacting not only established countries but also emerging countries such as China. This book dedicates specific chapters to the healthcare systems and geriatric medicine practices in selected developed and developing countries. I interpret this as an attempt to raise awareness about the critical link between ageing and healthcare systems and as a stimulus to promote rigorous and coordinated international research in geriatric medicine. The health of the elderly population is of paramount importance in all countries of the world because it is one of the main determinants of social and economic well‐being. International collaborations will help us address the challenges and opportunities of global ageing and prepare for a better future.

Many outstanding authors of international repute have brought a wealth of clinical experience and scientific expertise in the field of gerontology and geriatric medicine to their chapters. I wish to congratulate each of them and the editors for courageously taking the lead on such an important initiative; I am confident that this textbook will continue to be an invaluable tool for geriatricians and gerontologists in the years to come.

Stefania Maggi

Research Director

CNR Aging Branch‐IN

Italy

Past President, EuGMS