Common Medical Conditions
The majority of older adults exhibit at least one medical problem. Disabilities
associated with chronic illness increase sharply with advancing age (Figure
2).2 As individuals
grow older, their physiologic functions decline, making them more susceptible
to stress and infection and less able to perform activities of daily living
(ADL).2 These factors are largely responsible for the spread of disease,
particularly among institutionalized older adults.16 The medical conditions
most frequently encountered by the older adult include cardiovascular disease,
osteoarthritis and osteoporosis, dementia, depression, diabetes, and sensory
deficits.The oral status of medically compromised older adults is largely the result of a combination of local and systemic factors. Poor oral health can exacerbate a medical condition, cause pain or discomfort, alter nutrition, and decrease a person’s self-esteem.
