KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING: At the end of the "Geriatrics" course the student will be able to know the epidemiology of the main disabling pathologies; understand and know the biological, social, demographic, environmental and cultural factors that can generate disability and influence the overall state of health; know the fundamental principles of global assessment of the person (multidimensional assessment), and understand the purposes of formulating the individual care plan. ABILITY TO APPLY KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING: will have developed the ability to apply knowledge and understanding and will have acquired the elements to be able to apply the tools to be implemented in the network of services for people with chronic diseases and disabilities according to their ability to judge. Furthermore, he will have acquired knowledge and understanding of the common disabling syndromes, with their anatomical-functional bases and the clinical-features. Will be able to describe the etiopathogenesis, the clinical picture and the principles of treatment and assistance support - medical, nursing, rehabilitative - of the most common acute and chronic diseases, with particular reference to cardio-vascular, cerebro-vascular, neuro -degenerative, neuro-inflammatory. JUDGMENT INDEPENDENCE: the student will be able to apply the knowledge acquired and to correlate the knowledge acquired with related disciplines, having developed his/her own independent judgment, in describing the fundamental principles of assistance to terminally ill patients, and will have developed a COMMUNICATION SKILL capable of integrating nursing skills with those of other figures involved in geriatric care, support and treatment of disability. In its global contents, the teaching allows the acquisition of fundamental skills for the management of specific clinical-care problems, paying attention both to the social and cultural changes of the population, and to the specific phases of the management of nursing care.
The course provides the theoretical knowledge useful for planning safe and evidence-based nursing care, developing independent judgment in relation to the learned scientific evidence, developing the student's communication skills, as well as acquiring THE CAPACITY TO LEARN the concepts innovations in geriatric care.

Have passed the exams of the first year of the course, including the professional teaching courses, and the barriers foreseen by the course of study.

-Biology and Pathophysiology of Aging
-Demography and epidemiology of aging
-The geriatric multidimensional evaluation. -Facility and disability. Hospital and Territorial Facilities and Services available for Elderly Care.
-Cardiovascular disease in the elderly: ischemic heart disease, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, arterial hypertension. In particular, the themes of the specificity of symptomatology and complications in the elderly and the peculiarities of pharmacological treatment will be addressed.
-Cerebrovascular pathology: stroke, acute phase and long-term consequences
-Dementia, delirium, depression and Parkinson's disease in the elder; Specificity of the symptoms and complications and peculiarities of the treatment.
- Immobilization syndrome and its complications, with particular reference to pressure ulcers.
- Falls, syncope and fractures
-Pain in the elderly
-Malnutrition in the elderly.
-The physical restraint
-How to develop knowledge with respect to the identification and nursing care of geriatric syndromes, communicating objectives and actions useful for reaching the expected target, to all the professional figures involved in managing the user's health.

- Older and geriatric patient: foundations of gerontology and geriatrics. In Senin - 1999 - EdiSES
- Geriatrics and geriatrics. O Bosello, M Zamboni - 2011 – Piccin
- Manuale di Geriatria Incalzi RA, Cesari M-2019- Edra

To know the Biology and Pathophysiology of Aging. Describing the theory of aging and the main problems of internistic interest in the geriatrics age (cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive bronchopneumopathy, chronic renal failure, pseudo-diarrhea, hypo-hyperthyroidism, urinary and fecal incontinence), their epidemiological frequency, the pathophysiologic mechanisms And the systemic correlations of organs and apparatus;
Describing the pathogenesis, clinical manifestations and assistance strategies in the patient with neurological problems (stroke, demyelinating diseases, dementia, epilepsy);
Indicate the classification of epidemiological epidemiological and high-quality geriatric diseases;
Implement the single and multidimensional evaluation of the patient with geriatric problems, recognizing the main signs and symptoms and diagnostic / instrumental pathways;
Evaluate the pharmacological impact, the criteria for monitoring and continuous assessment of the evolution of the geriatric problem in its local and systemic manifestations;
Recognize the main problems of elderly patients with disabilities / chronicity (malnutrition, dehydration, risk of falling, loss of skills in daily life activities and motor function, cognitive decline, mental confusion) and strategies for effective nursing;
Recognizing the main factors determining fragility and vulnerability in the elderly and the relevance of 'cascade failure';
Recognize the major risk factors of geriatric drug therapy, compliance monitoring and compliance criteria;
Deciding the mono and multidimensional evaluation tools for the care needs and quality of life of the elderly and disability classification systems;
Facilitating the biophysical and psychosocial adaptation processes facing the person / family with chronic degenerative problems and activating support strategies in ineffective adaptation processes;
Implement strategies for managing chronic pain, suffering, fear, loss of functions, skills and hope and promoting the quality of life of patients with chronic and disabling problems;

Introduce therapeutic education interventions to support the patient in residual energy management, self-treatment and recovery / maintenance of functions; Recognize the risk factors of institutionalization and strategies to avoid it; Indicate nursing intervention models, roles, structures, and resources for chronicity / disability management. - Understanding Demography and Epidemiology of Aging - Understanding the principles and tools of geriatric mono- and multidimensional evaluation. -Consider the concept of fragility and disability. Hospital and Territorial Facilities and Services available for Elderly Care. Know the dementia, delirium, depression and Parkinson's disease in the elderly; Specificity of the symptoms and complications and peculiarities of the treatment. Know how to prevent and recognize immobilization syndrome and its complications, with particular reference to pressure ulcers; Falls, syncope and fractures - Recognize the pain in the elderly and the demented, geriatric forms of malnutrition in the elderly. - Avoid the risks and the use of physical and pharmacological restrain.

Lectures, with classroom discussion of clinical cases. Simulation of geriatric problems and group and individual discussion on clinical, organizational and welfare aspects. The course stimulates knowledge and improves understanding of geriatric care processes, stressing the most relevant aspects in relation to the expected results and the time needed to achieve them During the course the student is encouraged to develop independent judgment with respect to the topics treated, the ability to collaborate with the other professional figures involved, the expected results in applying the treatments.

prof. Nicola FIOTTI
Department of Medical, Surgical and Health Sciences
Clinica Medica Generale
Strada di Fiume, 447, 34149 CATTINARA Trieste
e-mail: fiotti@units.it
tel. 040-3993226
Office hours: Tuesday to Thursday by appointment
The power point presentations and the bibliography issued to students concerning the teaching units can be found on the Microsoft Teams IT platform

The evaluation of knowledge will take place through the exam in written and/or oral form. The eventual written exam consists of a multiple-choice test. The final grade is expressed out of thirty, independent of the type of exam. The evaluation grid adopted is the following: - Excellent (30 - 30 cum laude): excellent knowledge of the topics, excellent language proficiency, excellent analytical skills Very good (27 - 29): good knowledge of the topics, remarkable language proficiency, good analytical skills; Good (24-26): good knowledge of the main topics, good command of the language; Satisfactory (21-23): the student does not show full command of the main subjects of the teaching, even if he/she possesses the fundamental knowledge. Sufficient (18-20): minimal knowledge of the main teaching topics and technical language, limited ability to adequately apply theoretical knowledge to concrete cases. - Insufficient: the student does not have an acceptable knowledge of the contents of the various topics of the program.
To achieve the maximum score, he/she must have answered completely and must possess knowledge of the topics covered, and have developed an ability to link common aspects to the various pathologies and also demonstrate critical judgment and analysis skills. The student must also have developed excellent communication skills with the other professionals with whom he must interact.

This course explores topics closely related to one or more goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (SDGs)