Gerontology & Geriatric Research

MULTIMORBIDITY IN AGEING

5^th International Conference on Geriatric Medicine & Gerontological Nursing

November 14-15, 2016 | Atlanta, USA

Cassandra Szoeke

University of Melbourne, Australia

Accepted Abstracts: J Gerontol Geriat Res

Abstract:

Aging is a national health priority and responsible for the escalating costs of healthcare worldwide. Despite enormous individual and societal impacts, aging is grossly under-researched. Multi-morbidity with chronic diseases is recognised as the largest contributor to death, morbidity and disability in the western world. However research is disease-centred with a recent Lancet publication noting this has led to a lack of translation to practice, given most people over 50 have several coexisting conditions. A person-centred approach therefore must be a multi-morbidity approach. Womenâ??s health is an under-researched area, nationally and globally, yet women are the greatest proportion of the aging population. The large gains in health demonstrated in men from the 1960s to today be not matched with women. There is a clear need to address this and an opportunity, given the significant lack of awareness of modifiable risk in women, alongside an absence of women-specific guidelines for risk modification. The global burden of chronic disease is increasing dramatically â?? by 2020 the World Health Organization expects that chronic disease will account for almost three quarters of all deaths; therefore has set non-communicable/chronic diseases as their priority. A preventative approach requires immediate action for later health gains. A delay in combining these cohorts and obtaining common follow-up measures will both delay any outcomes, but also reduce future potential opportunities to achieve this scope of work as cohorts continue to age.