Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) of the lower extremity is a common manifestation of atherosclerosis. It is present in up to 20% of older men and women and is estimated to affect more than 200 million…

Respecting a Patient's Religious Values Near the End of Life. An accompanying edition of Elder Care reviews how different religions view the end of life. This Elder Care discusses issues to consider when clinicians interact…

Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States and continues to be a growing public health concern as rates in all age groups continue to rise. Each year almost 45,000 Americans…

Family meetings play an important role in the care of seriously ill hospitalized patients and patients with advanced disease. The meetings help identify patient-centered goals and guide decision making. They also improve patient's and family's…

Integrative medicine takes a whole-person approach to treating long-term health problems that are hard to treat with standard treatments and drugs. It adds complementary (alternative) therapies to your current treatment plan. The goal is to…

Health literacy is the ability to obtain, read, understand, and use health-related information to navigate the health care system and to make informed decisions about medical care. It is closely related to general literacy –…

In 1996, Congress passed a law that provides guidelines for the privacy and security of certain health information. Formally called the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, it is better known as HIPAA.…

Pain is estimated to affect 25-56% of older adults in the community and between 45-80% of those in long-term care facilities. More than half of older adults who are dying suffer from pain. Pain can…

Health Risks for Family Caregivers. Family caregivers provide unpaid but crucial support to family members, partners, and friends living with seriously disabling health conditions. The health and other needs of these caregivers, however, are frequently…