Geriatrics and Gerontology Course

Lesson 1 • Epidemiology of Aging Populations

Presents global and regional trends in population aging and disease burden. Grounds clinical practice in public health context.

Lesson 2 • Social and Cultural Dimensions of Aging

Analyzes how culture, socioeconomic status, and social roles shape aging experiences. Prepares clinicians to deliver culturally responsive geriatric care.

Lesson 3 • Defining Aging and Gerontology

Distinguishes gerontology from geriatrics and defines key aging terminology. Provides the conceptual vocabulary used throughout the course.

Lesson 4 • Psychological Theories of Aging

Reviews psychosocial stage models and cognitive aging frameworks. Connects psychological theory to clinical assessment of older patients.

Lesson 1 • Musculoskeletal and Neurological Aging

Explains sarcopenia, bone density loss, and central nervous system changes. Connects to fall risk and cognitive assessment covered in later chapters.

Lesson 2 • Sensory and Endocrine Aging

Details vision, hearing, taste, and hormonal changes in normal aging. Supports communication strategies and metabolic management in geriatric care.

Lesson 3 • Cardiovascular Changes with Age

Describes structural and functional cardiac changes in healthy older adults. Establishes baseline for recognizing cardiovascular disease in later chapters.

Lesson 4 • Respiratory and Renal Aging

Covers lung compliance loss, reduced renal filtration, and altered fluid balance. Informs drug dosing and respiratory management decisions.

Lesson 1 • Functional Status Assessment

Teaches validated tools for measuring activities of daily living and mobility. Functional status data directly informs care goals and discharge planning.

Lesson 2 • Cognitive and Psychological Screening

Applies standardized cognitive and mood screening instruments in clinical settings. Differentiates normal aging from dementia and depression for accurate diagnosis.

Lesson 3 • Social and Environmental Assessment

Evaluates caregiver support, living environment, and financial resources. Social data shapes safe discharge and community care recommendations.

Lesson 4 • Nutritional and Frailty Assessment

Screens for malnutrition and frailty using validated clinical tools. Identifies high-risk patients requiring targeted preventive interventions.

Lesson 1 • Screening Tools for Inappropriate Medications

Applies explicit and implicit criteria to identify potentially inappropriate prescribing. Integrates screening tools into routine medication review workflows.

Lesson 2 • Polypharmacy Recognition and Risks

Defines polypharmacy thresholds and catalogs associated adverse outcomes. Equips clinicians to identify patients at highest medication-related risk.

Lesson 3 • Pharmacodynamics and Drug Sensitivity

Covers altered receptor sensitivity and end-organ responses in aging. Explains why standard doses cause exaggerated effects in older patients.

Lesson 4 • Deprescribing Strategies and Monitoring

Guides systematic tapering and discontinuation of unnecessary medications. Establishes monitoring protocols to detect withdrawal and rebound effects.

Lesson 1 • Urinary Incontinence

Classifies incontinence types and applies targeted behavioral and medical treatments. Addresses a syndrome frequently underreported and undertreated in older adults.

Lesson 2 • Delirium: Recognition and Management

Teaches hyperactive, hypoactive, and mixed delirium subtypes and their triggers. Emphasizes non-pharmacological management as the first-line approach.

Lesson 3 • Pressure Injuries and Wound Care

Stages pressure injuries and applies evidence-based prevention and treatment protocols. Integrates skin aging physiology from earlier chapters into clinical practice.

Lesson 4 • Falls and Fall Prevention

Analyzes multifactorial fall etiology and evidence-based prevention strategies. Directly applies functional and pharmacological knowledge from prior chapters.

Lesson 1 • Pharmacological Management of Dementia

Reviews cholinesterase inhibitors, NMDA antagonists, and emerging therapies. Applies polypharmacy principles to minimize medication burden in dementia patients.

Lesson 2 • Person-Centered Dementia Care Planning

Constructs individualized care plans honoring patient values, history, and remaining abilities. Integrates family and caregiver perspectives into sustainable care models.

Lesson 3 • Mild Cognitive Impairment

Defines MCI subtypes, risk factors, and conversion rates to dementia. Establishes the diagnostic boundary between normal aging and early pathology.

Lesson 4 • Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms

Assesses and manages agitation, psychosis, depression, and sleep disturbance in dementia. Prioritizes non-pharmacological strategies before medication escalation.

Lesson 1 • Goals-of-Care Communication

Teaches structured frameworks for eliciting patient values and treatment preferences. Effective communication prevents unwanted interventions and reduces family distress.

Lesson 2 • Palliative Care Principles in Geriatrics

Defines palliative care and distinguishes it from hospice within geriatric contexts. Establishes the ethical and clinical rationale for early palliative integration.

Lesson 3 • Symptom Management at End of Life

Applies evidence-based protocols for pain, dyspnea, nausea, and terminal secretions. Builds on geriatric pharmacology principles to optimize comfort with minimal burden.

Lesson 4 • Advance Care Planning and Directives

Guides completion of advance directives and medical orders for life-sustaining treatment. Ensures documented preferences are accessible and honored across care settings.

Lesson 1 • Models of Geriatric Care Delivery

Compares inpatient, outpatient, home-based, and community geriatric care models. Identifies the optimal care setting for patients with varying complexity and frailty.

Lesson 2 • Interprofessional Collaboration in Geriatrics

Defines team roles and communication structures in geriatric interdisciplinary teams. Effective collaboration is the operational foundation of comprehensive geriatric care.

Lesson 3 • Care Transitions and Readmission Prevention

Analyzes high-risk transition points and applies structured handoff and follow-up protocols. Reduces preventable readmissions through medication reconciliation and care coordination.

Lesson 4 • Quality Improvement in Geriatric Practice

Applies QI methodologies to geriatric-specific safety and outcome measures. Translates evidence into measurable practice changes at the unit and system level.