|
Finally,
we may conclude that the pattern of care given to the old nowadays is
not only curative, but also fragmented. It had been patient-relative
initiated and essentially crises-oriented. The Comprehensive Family
Practice care of the elderly should aim at:
• Keeping the elderly people in their homes in an active and mobile
state through the provision of a well-synchronized clinic and home
services. Such services must prepare the elderly to accept
responsibility of caring for themselves when possible.
• Fostering a team approach for the provision of care. This should
involve both general practitioners, physiotherapists, psychiatrists
and social workers who should form a community health team. This team
strengthens cooperation between general practitioners and hospital
specialists in order to follow standardised and agreed policies of
management of the elderly in Kuwait.
• Recognizing the risk situations of the old who are living alone,
bed ridden, over 85, bereaved, malnourished and planning their regular
follow-up and care by family practitioners with the community health
team.
Limitations
of the study
Abdullah
Al-Salem area is probably not representative of Kuwait and therefore
the results cannot be generalised. But this is intended to be a start
for generalization of the study to all regions of the country, in
order to screen the elderly population.
|
|
ACKNOWLEGEMENTS
Our thanks and
gratitude to all those who offered help namely: Ministry of Health,
Department of Information, Statistics Division. Mr. Asaad Mohammed
(Ministry of Health, Department of Information, Statistics Division),
personal contact.
REFERENCES
1.
Federal Interagency Forum – on Aging-Related Statistics (US). Older
Americans 2000 : key indicators of well being; 2000.
2.
Internet Releases Of the U.S. Bureau of Census and The National Center
for Health Statistics. Profile of Older Americans 1998 (cited 2000 May
15) available from http:// www.aoa.dhhs.gov /aoa/stats/profile/default.htm.
 
|