The University of Toledo

The 13th Annual Geriatric Medicine Symposium titled “Women’s Health and Aging” will be held Friday, March 6, from 8:20 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. at the Dana Conference Center on The University of Toledo’s Health Science Campus.

The event will provide the latest information from medical research related to menopause, osteoporosis, heart disease, as well as the prevention of cancer. Sexual wellness and care-giving issues also will be discussed.

The medical community is focused on health issues facing older women in recent years due to their rising life expectancy, which is currently age 84, according to Dr. Victoria Steiner, UT assistant professor of geriatric medicine.

By the end of this year’s workshop, participants will be able to:

• Recognize the importance of cardiac risk factors.

• Apply current cancer-screening recommendations to women 65 and older.

• Be familiar with the formula that correctly predicts the fracture risk in osteoporotic women.

• Review newer data regarding hormone therapy risks and benefits with respect to cardiovascular disease.

• Identify three modalities for assisting with pelvic floor muscle strengthening.

• Describe common age-related changes in women’s human sexual response.

• Discuss the effects of caregiver stress on overall health and quality of life.

In general, the health-care work force is inadequately trained to care for the elderly who commonly have multiple chronic illnesses and rely more on medical services, Steiner said.

This event has great attendance every year, making it one of the largest continuing medical education events at the Dana Center, Steiner said. It is interdisciplinary because it is important for all health-care professionals to learn to work together in caring for the older generation.

Family physicians, internists, nurses, social workers, nursing home administrators, psychologists, physical and occupational therapists, and pharmacists are encouraged to attend.

For more information, contact Steiner at 419.383.5647.

This entry was posted  on  Wednesday, March 4th, 2009 at  5:20 am and is filed under  Events, UToday.
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