Muriel R. Gillick – författare

A specialist in elder care, Dr. Muriel Gillick examines the complications of lives lived far longer than ever before. This book aims to help the frail elderly and their families cope with the often unforeseen dilemmas of aging: the most common chronic ailments, the acute problems, and their impact on living options. Tracing the stories of four people, Dr. Gillick highlights the various challenges and decisions that arise when frailty develops and discusses the importance of prevention and social responsibility in assessing, treating, and living with frailty. "[G]ives me hope that if the worst should come, there is help to be found and meaning to be derived."—John Kotre, author of Make It Count

An indispensable, comprehensive reference for family caregivers.Caregivers hold the key to the health, well-being, and happiness of their aging relatives, partners, or friends. The Caregiver's Encyclopedia provides you with all of the information you need to take the best care of your loved one—from making major medical decisions to making sure you don't burn out. Written by Muriel R. Gillick, MD, a geriatrician with more than 30 years' experience caring for older people, this book highlights the importance of understanding your friend's or family member's overall health. With compassion and expertise, this book will help you "think like a doctor." The content • helps you navigate the health-care system• shares important information about treating basic geriatric syndromes, including delirium, dementia, and falls• teaches you about preventive care options• enables you to manage medical decisions related to both acute and chronic conditions • discusses what Medicare covers—and what it doesn't• guides you through different approaches to care• weighs the risks and benefits of hospital vs. home, nursing home, or hospice care• provides a detailed list of medical supplies that you might want to keep on hand• offers you additional resources and emotional supportThroughout, Gillick provides helpful information and concrete concepts that caregivers can put into practice today. Authoritative, comprehensive, holistic, and highly illustrated, The Caregiver's Encyclopedia will help you figure out how to be the best caregiver you can be.

Since the introduction of Medicare and Medicaid in 1965, the American health care system has steadily grown in size and complexity. Muriel R. Gillick takes readers on a narrative tour of American health care, incorporating the stories of older patients as they travel from the office to the hospital to the skilled nursing facility, and examining the influence of forces as diverse as pharmaceutical corporations, device manufacturers, and health insurance companies on their experience. A scholar who has practiced medicine for over 30 years, Gillick offers readers an informed and straightforward view of health care from the ground up, revealing that many crucial medical decisions are not based on what is best for the patient, but rather on outside forces, sometimes to the detriment of patient health and quality of life. Gillick suggests a broadly imagined patient-centered reform of the health care system with Medicare as the engine of change, a transformation that would be mediated through accountability, cost-effectiveness, and culture change.