Urgent and Emergency Care of the Older Person: A Guide for Paramedics and Community Clinicians

Older adults increasingly represent a significant portion of urgent, emergency, and ambulance service calls, making it more important than ever to foster a deeper understanding of older patients’ needs. Urgent and Emergency Care of the Older Person addresses the critical gap in prehospital education concerning the care of older patients, and demonstrates the principles underpinning improvements to the provision of care using the multidisciplinary team approach.

A range of specialist authors provide the necessary knowledge, skills, and guidance for prehospital professionals, community clinicians, and advanced practitioners, emphasising a holistic, person-centred approach. It challenges stereotypes, urges clinicians to see beyond age and adapt communication and care strategies to individual needs and circumstances. Topics include ageing theories, frailty, common clinical scenarios, and the latest best practices to prepare paramedics and prehospital clinicians for the multifaceted nature of caring for the older person.

KEY FEATURES INCLUDE:

• Case studies and targeted questions, to support clinicians in applying their knowledge to practice
• Aligned to key national health and social care priorities
• An ideal companion text for both undergraduate studentsand registered paramedics as well as specialists paramedics in frailty services or those working within the community such as primary care or Urgent Crisis Response teams
• In line with current UK guidelines and research

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Dedication

About the authors

Acknowledgements

Abbreviations

Introduction

Chapter 1 – Biological, psychological and social theories of ageing and the physiology of ageing

Chapter 2 – Person-centred Communication

Chapter 3 – Frailty

Chapter 4 – Long-term Conditions

Chapter 5 – Mental Health and Cognition

Chapter 6 – Polypharmacy and Medicines Review

Chapter 7 – Activities of Daily Living

Chapter 8 – Falls

Chapter 9 – Major Trauma

Chapter 10 – Palliative and End-of-life Care

Chapter 11 – Social Care

Chapter 12 – Safeguarding