182813 - check, unit 566, Aged care, November 2019

This issue of check focuses on the assessment and management of aged care-related presentations in general practice.

Falls are one of the most common concerns for people aged >65 years, with 30% of adults of this age falling at least once per year. Almost 100,000 injuries occurred because of falls in older people in 2012–13, predominantly in women. Dementia is another common presentation, with approximately 7.8% of older Australians living with dementia. The prevalence of multimorbidity increases with age, and up to 80% of older Australians have more than 3 conditions. As a result, older patients tend to be prescribed numerous simultaneous medications: 36.1% of older patients had continuous polypharmacy in 2017. Half of patients do not take their medication as prescribed, emphasising the need for safe deprescribing practices.
Palliative care is also becoming increasingly common in an ageing population. Palliative care–related presentations accounted for one in 1000 GP encounters in 2015–16; 90% of these patients were aged >65 years.
References on file.

D1. Communication skills and the patient-doctor relationship

• Communication with family, carers and others involved in the care of the patient is appropriate and clear

D2. Applied professional knowledge and skills

• Rational prescribing and medication monitoring is undertaken

D3. Population health and the context of general practice

D4. Professional and ethical role

D5. Organisational and legal dimensions

• Care of older people