Patterns of Disease: The Challenge of Multiple Illness

Abstract

Much of the illness that is seen in elderly patients is predictable and may be preventable. Indeed, common patterns of disease recur often enough to provide clinicians with the opportunity to prevent major disabilities. Unfortunately, there is a common feeling that the care of elderly persons is more frustrating than it is rewarding; many professionals, when overwhelmed by a hopeless stance, fail to appreciate how small interventions can make a major impact on the quality of life. Physicians in training often see elderly patients with one disorder after another as part of an inexorable downhill course, which leads them to believe there is little that can be done for these patients. Most major illnesses, however, do not occur by accident, but partially result from pre-existent conditions that contribute to a greater risk of further disease. By minimizing or eliminating antecedant conditions, clinicians can prevent subsequent diseases. Therefore, contrary to common attitudes, a major goal of geriatric medicine is the anticipation and accordingly, prevention of illness.