Medical & Clinical Reviews

Editorial

The world’s aged population continues to grow at an aberrant rate. Today, 8.5% of people worldwide (617 million) are aged 65 and over. According to a new report, “an aging world: 2015,” this percentage projected to explode to nearly 17% (1.6 billion) of the world’s population by 2050 [1]. People aged 75 years currently represent 6.0% of the United States population and 6.6% in Europe whereas they will be <9% and 12% respectively by 2030[2]. The increasing share of older people set to become the most outstanding social transformations impacting the society’s social, financial and medical fields. Today, the pace of aging population in many developing countries is faster than that occurred in developed countries in the past. In the recent decades, the average life expectancy of older people has dramatically increased. In addition, the elderly are more susceptible to life style diseases such as cardiovascular, cancer, cognitive impairment, rheumatisms, altimeter’s, dementia, diabetes and depression [1,3].

Palliative aged care is a rapid developing specialty matter, involving the collaboration and combined expertise in the fields of gerontology and geriatric care. The likenesses and differences between these two fields improve and exchange each other’s practices and perspectives. Upgraded public health and medical care have resulted in a clinical management of less anticipated illnesses and longevity in the elderly [4]. Balancing healthy aging with the realities of chronic diseases is challenging. Finding better ways of preserving physical and mental comfort during disease progression are of utmost importance [5]. Symptoms presentation is more often ambiguous in the elderly and therefore changes in symptoms remain undetected. Successful aging include the freedom from disability by preserving good mental and physical role. The healthy, positive or successful aging gained through professional as well as proper medical, nutritional, physical and social care. The empirical development in gerontology and geriatric care could be achieved by educating professionals in respective fields, clinical knowledge and skills improvement.

The objective of this special issue is to provide a global medium for new and exciting research relevant to the concerns of gerontology and geriatrics. The special issue offers an excellent opportunity to publish peer reviewed topics in the multiple fields of aging including health economics, social science, nursing and medical care. The journal welcomes review articles and case reports in the fields of gerontology and geriatrics. This issue emphasizes on the novelty and new directions. Besides, the journal encourages contributions with diverse theoretical and methodological approaches.

References

1. United Nations (2015) Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (ST/ESS/SER.A/390).
2. Kinsella K, Velkoff VA (2001) Aging world. Washington, DC; US Government Printing Office; 2001. US Census Bureau series P95-01-1.
3. Zhu L, Fratiglioni L, Guo Z, Aguero-Torres H, Wiblad B, et al. (1998) Association of stroke with dementia, cognitive impairment and disability in the very old: a population based study. Stroke 29: 2094-2099.
4. Lunney JR, Lynn J, Foley DJ, Lipson S, Guralnik JM (2003) Patterns of functional decline at the end of life. JAMA 289: 2387-2392.
5. Currow DC, Hegarty M (2006) Residential aged-care facility palliative care guidelines. Int J Palliat Nurs 12: 231-233.