How to make the most of your care of older adults placement

Before a placement in care of older adults, many students worry that they will not be able to identify a clear presenting condition when speaking to an older adult with multiple comorbidities. They might also be anxious about witnessing end of life discussions, eliciting information from a confused patient, or examining a patient who has limited mobility.1 A care of older adults placement will give you the space to practise these aspects of older adult medicine and to spend time speaking with older adults. Students will also gain an appreciation of the psychosocial elements of a person’s life that affect, and are affected by, aging.

As the proportion of older adults is continuously rising in the UK population,2 being competent in skills specific to older adults will be useful across almost all care settings, during and beyond medical school. The skills and tips covered in this article will be particularly useful in your primary care and emergency placements, as well as in wards and services that specifically provide for older adults.