Self-neglect in Older Adults: a Primer for Clinicians |
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Authors: | Maria P Pavlou MD Mark S Lachs MD MPH |
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Institution: | (1) Division of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA |
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Abstract: | Self-neglect in older adults is an increasingly prevalent, poorly understood problem, crossing both the medical and social
arenas, with public health implications. Although lacking a standardized definition, self-neglect is characterized by profound
inattention to health and hygiene. In light of the aging demographic, physicians of all specialties will increasingly encounter
self-neglectors. We outline here practical strategies for the clinician, and suggestions for the researcher. Clinical evaluation
should include attention to medical history, cognition, function, social networks, psychiatric screen and environment. The
individual’s capacity is often questioned, and interventions are case-based. More research is needed in basic epidemiology
and risk factors of the problem, so that targeted interventions may be designed and tested. The debate of whether self-neglect
is a medical versus societal problem remains unresolved, yet as health sequelae are part of the syndrome, physicians should
be part of the solution. |
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Keywords: | self-neglect older adults clinical guidelines |
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