Geriatrics
Geriatrics, specialized branch of medicine that deals with the diseases of older persons and their therapy. The study of the aging process itself is called gerontology . Increased interest in geriatrics is due largely to the greater number of older persons in society, which is in turn a result of social and medical changes that have extended the life expectancy in the United States from an average of 47 years in 1900 to 76.3 years in 2000. The elderly population is expected to increase rapidly over the next 30 years, with the number of persons over 85 growing most rapidly. In 1975 the U.S. Congress established the National Institute on Aging (NIA) to sponsor research on aging and on therapy for the problems of older persons. In 1978 the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences issued a report recommending greater integration of knowledge on aging and geriatrics into the curriculum of medical schools. Some physicians have advocated establishing special geriatric care un...