Table of Contents

About the editors xiv Preface xv Acknowledgements xviii Chapter 1: Primary healthcare and the older person 1 Chapter 2: Understanding the ageing process 27 Chapter 3: Person-centred care: culture, diversity and spirituality 69 Chapter 4: Attitudes and communication: the older person, carers and families 95 Chapter 5: Nutrition, hydration and feeding: impact on the older person 133 Chapter 6: Pharmacology and complementary therapies 171 Chapter 7: Prevention of falls 203 Chapter 8: Care of the older person in the emergency department 257 Chapter 9: Rehabilitation, co-morbidity and complex care 289 Chapter 10: Transition of settings: loss and grief 317 Chapter 11: Pain and the older person 345 Chapter 12: A palliative approach 377 Chapter 13: Promoting continence 423 Chapter 14: Depression in older people 455 Chapter 15: Understanding and responding to behaviours 489 Chapter 16: Sexuality 523 Chapter 17: Continuous improvement in aged care 551 Chapter 18: Bereavement care 575 Glossary 599 Index 606

About the Author

Amanda Johnson is a Senior Lecturer (Aged care) and Director of Academic Programs Undergraduate at the School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Western Sydney. She has worked in the tertiary sector since 1992. Dr Johnson s PhD thesis is in undergraduate palliative care education. She has been an active leader in the development of undergraduate curriculum in the areas of aged care, chronic illness and palliation. In 2011, Dr Johnson was the winner of the Vice-Chancellor s Excellence award in Leadership for the IRONE project and in 2010 was Highly Commended in these awards for her teaching of chronic illness and palliation. Dr Johnson s research over the last 12 years has been focused in aged care, dementia and palliation. She is committed to making a diff erence in the lives of older people through her teaching and research activities. Esther Chang is Director for Higher Research Degree and Course Advisor for the Honours program in the School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Western Sydney. She has worked in academia since 1986, with three tertiary institutions. She has been a Head of School, Dean of the Faculty of Health, and Acting Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Academic) at the University of Western Sydney, Hawkesbury. Professor Chang is committed to aged, dementia and palliative care and has received many large grants to investigate nursing and health needs in older people, and has developed models of care for acutely ill elderly patients and clients with end-stage dementia. Professor Chang s international links have generated collaborative research into aged care across several countries. Th is process has infl uenced her ideas and refl ections on the approach that textbooks need to embrace for eff ective student learning.