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A startling conclusion that most are hoping to keep under wraps, or at least to deny until it becomes a real epidemic: We are finding drugs in our drinking water. Yes, the truth is being made clearer, there are drugs found in US drinking water that simply should not be there. And while the amount of drugs in our drinking water is really only small, trace amounts, consider the implications of drinking what you believe to be clear, purified water, and finding instead that you are ingesting trace amounts of a virtual pharmacy of anti depressants, anxiety drugs, asthma drugs, pain medications, cancer medications, antibiotics, and compounds traditionally found in shampoos, conditioners, soaps and antiperspirants.

Most people may assume that water is properly and effectively filtered before it reaches our homes, but now the truth is being released: Studies are now showing that the drugs found in US drinking water include mood stabilizers, antibiotics, sexual hormones, and many other chemical compounds. Finding drugs in our drinking water may not necessary sound like a terrible problem, but if you consider long term exposure, especially to drugs that you are not meant to be taking, the implications are certainly worrisome.

So how are we acquiring drugs in our drinking water? The answer to why there are drugs found in US drinking water is simple: More than half of the population of the United States is taking some type of pill daily, be it a sexual hormone, a pain killer, asthma medication, an antibiotic, or one of thousands of other types of medications. A portion of the remains of these drugs end up in wastewater, which may be cleaned and treated, but usually not enough to remove all traces of these medications, which reach rivers and reservoirs and eventually culminate together in the form of a collection of drugs in our drinking water.

The problem surrounding drugs in our drinking water may not have reached epic proportions yet, but it is well on its way to becoming a serious problem requiring serious consideration. The problem surrounding drugs in our drinking water is not going to go away, as numerous studies have revealed drugs found in US drinking water in a number of large metropolitan cities all over the country. For example, in water tested in New York City, heart medication, tranquilizers and estrogen were all present. The amount of drugs in our drinking water may be trace amounts at best, but any measurable amount of drugs in our drinking water is too much, if you consider the implications of long term exposure.

This issue is not only occurring in the United States, as people all over the globe are finding drugs in their drinking water through random testing, especially in large metropolitan cities. Many countries around the globe are experiencing concerns about drugs in our drinking water. The most advantageous and cost effective way to reduce the amount of drugs in our drinking water is simply to install a home water filter system, as most are designed specifically to remove these harmful drugs and other contaminants from the drinking water. Some are even designed to insert healthful minerals into the water following purification.

Article 3 Title: Are There Prescription Drugs in Drinking Water?goarticles.com 20.08.08 Keywords: prescription drugs in drinking water, drugs in the drinking water,

Are there prescription drugs in the drinking water? According to a number of water studies conducted not only in the United States but also in other countries across the globe, there are prescription drugs in drinking water in waterways all throughout the world, and they could potentially be posing risks to our health and the health of our children. In order to fully understand what risks are actually involved pertaining to drugs in the drinking water, researchers across the globe have been looking at what happens to cell lines in a laboratory when exposed to contaminated drinking water samples.

Most pharmaceutical companies have created acceptable daily intake amounts for their drugs, establishing that as long as the trace amounts of prescription drugs in drinking water are less than this amount, then the drugs in the drinking water can be deemed safe. This does not make sense, however, because taking any amount of a drug that isn’t meant for you can be harmful, even in trace amounts over a period of time.

Everything that is flushed down the drain or otherwise disposed of improperly is eventually going to work its way through to the public water system, ending up in our oceans, our streams, our rivers and our drinking water supplies for that matter. The reason why there are drugs in the drinking water to begin with is because we are improperly disposing of medical waste, prescription drugs and other chemical compounds, and they are not being properly filtered out of our water before it is deemed safe for human consumption.

Right now to eliminate some of the problem pertaining to drugs in the drinking water, scientists are looking for new and creative ways to dispose of pharmaceuticals and other chemical compounds that are safer for the environment and for our health. In the past, flushing pharmaceuticals and other chemical compounds was deemed to be not only a safe method of disposal, but also the recommended one. Unfortunately, this is exactly why there are prescription drugs in drinking water today; because we were wrong about how safely pharmaceutical drugs could be disposed of.

Without knowing it, you may be consuming drugs found in drinking water, and not necessarily the kinds of drugs that can benefit you in any way. Public drinking water supplies around the globe have shown to have traces of a number of different prescription drugs found in drinking water, including birth control medications, sexual hormones, asthma drugs, anti seizure drugs, psychiatric drugs and anti depressants, pain killers and many others. These drugs in drinking water supplies all over the world could potentially be putting people in serious danger.

Drugs in drinking water have also included a number of different over the counter forms of drugs and medications, as well as compounds that are regularly found in chemicals like deodorant products, soaps and detergents and shampoos as well. While the amount of prescription drugs found in drinking water is very small, these trace amounts of potentially contraindicated drugs and other chemical compounds can stack up in combination with one another, which really adds up when you consider long term exposure and how much water you put into your body every day.

Are drugs in drinking water dangerous?

While there is no real proof that drugs in drinking water in their current amounts are really harmful, deciding that they are inherently harmless could potentially be a giant mistake. According to the assistant administrator for water with the EPA or Environmental Projection Agency, it is recognized that this is a serious and growing concern, and steps are being taken to learn more. One of the largest facets of this growing concern relates to PCCPs which are used for pharmaceutical products and other personal care products, and that are being flushed from sewage treatment facilities into our rivers and streams, and that are leashing out of septic tanks and into our groundwater.

Positive Steps in the Right Direction

The level of drugs in drinking water has not necessarily reached dangerous proportions yet, but that does not mean we cannot all take steps to reduce the amount of drugs found in drinking water. There are a number of practical steps that can be taken to reduce drugs in drinking water.

1 – Dispose of antibiotics and drugs properly rather than simply flushing them down the toilet.

2 – Do not use personal health products, soaps or antiperspirants that have triclosan in them.

3 – Avoid using drugs that are unnecessary, and you will avoid impacting the level of drugs in drinking water.

4 – Cut down on exposure to insecticides by purchasing organic fruits, vegetables, flowers and other plants.

5 – Stay informed about drugs in drinking water and what drugs found in drinking water are doing to the environment and our health.

6 – Avoid drinking bottled water to avoid having chemicals leach into the water from the plastic bottle, only lending to the discovery of more chemicals and drugs in drinking water.

7 – Consider making use of high quality home water filtration systems so that you can bottle your own purified water, sans many of the drugs found in drinking water supplies.

Al Bracher has been researching water purification methods for several years. Visit home water purification to discover how to select the very best water filtration system for your home or office.

Today when you fill up a glass of supposedly clean tap water, what you really have is a heady mixture of prescription drugs in drinking water! Sounds too unrealistic? Well, just go through the extensive survey carried out by Associated Press and you’d be terribly disturbed by the findings. Southern California’s drinking water testing turned up anti-epileptics, Tucson’s water supply showed an anti-biotic and three other medications in it, San Francisco had sex-hormones in the water whereas New Jersey water survey turned up contaminated with anti-depressants and mood stabilizers! These are just a few of the twenty four cities that were covered by the survey all of which showed traces of prescription drugs in drinking water. There are around forty-one million Americans who have drugs in the drinking water!

Agreed that these were just traces that turned up however, imagine drinking this water – at least eight glasses a day – every day! How much would that add up to inside your body? Various institutes and individuals are studying the possible harm that would eventually result. True that we may not be the sufferers – at least not too badly – but think of your children – and their children! It is not just about tap water. It is about water being recycled, water from the ground table and so called pure bottled water! Prescription drugs are very specific to the ailment. For instance, if a person has cancer, the treatment will be specific to him or her. Now, imagine that self-same drug finding its way into a tumbler of water for a pregnant lady! Can you even think how the tiny being inside her could be harmed! I shudder at the very thought.

As a developed and progressive nation, you’d think that the water supplying companies would ensure that we get pure drinking water. Well, you’d be astonished to learn that many of the water supplying bodies – be it government or private, do not even test the water before supplying it to you and me! Even more amazing thing is that those who do carry out checks don’t think it important to inform the public of the drugs in the drinking water that show up in these surveys!

Even as the amount of the drugs being prescribed is increasing so is the presence of prescription drugs in drinking water. Usually all these medications are not absorbed by the body. A lot of it gets into the sewage system through waste matter. Apart from this, a lot of unused medicines are flushed down the toilet on recommendation of the manufacturers! All this leads to the presence of unwanted substances in the treatment plants which cannot treat the water effectively enough. Furthermore, ingesting these drugs can lead to deposits inside our body with long term repercussions.

To clear the prescription drugs in drinking water, you need to do it yourself. Boiling the water is the best bet followed closely by installing a good and effective filtration system. There are a wide variety of options available in the market but you have to buy the one that will rid you of the drugs in the drinking water. Make the right choice.

Al Bracher has been researching water purification methods for several years. Visit home water purification to discover how to select the very best water filtration system for your home or office.

Associated Press has sparked off a very important debate. They have conducted an extensive survey into the drinking water from various parts of the country (24 major cities to be precise) and had it tested for pharmaceutical drugs. The results are shocking. the probe finds drugs in drinking water. There are forty one million Americans who are drinking water with traces of medications for ailments such as pain, infection, high cholesterol, asthma, epilepsy, mental illness and heart problems. And this is just the tip of the iceberg. There are so many kinds of prescription drugs in the water system that it is hard to fathom. It is an alarming issue which much be addressed forthwith before it gets out of hand.

The biggest question is how do pharmaceutical drugs get in drinking water in the first place. Well, there are quite a few ways of this happening – the first being the excreta way. Medications prescribed to people are not entirely absorbed by the body. A lot of it passes out through the excreta ending up in the sewage system. The filtration plants that treat this sewage water are ill-equipped to handle contaminants such as pharmaceutical drugs. As a result, these medications come full circle into the glass of drinking water- ready to be ingested. The second mode of travel for these drugs is the direct disposal into the toilet. Unused or spoilt medications are flushed away into the sewage system where the whole process repeats! The most serious part is that this is done not only by individuals but also by hospitals and clinics!

Another way for these drugs to show up in the drinking water is by the runoff and leaching. Usually treatment plants happen to be upstream from the water sources. As a result, the contaminated water goes back into the aquifers and ground table. Runoffs are common off the farms where animals are given various medications to make them healthier – growth promoting drugs, antibiotics etc. These too reach the ground table, streams, rivers – surface water and aquifers and contaminate our drinking water. No amount of treatment ever clears the drugs since the treating matter is not suited for such harmful agents. This is pollution at a whole new level.

When Associated Press carried out its five –month long study, it was working on inputs from various journals and other material. The levels of the drugs unearthed by the probe is relatively miniscule. However, it’s not the amount that is alarming at this time. It is the fact that the traces have been increasing regularly.

Moreover, it’s not as though a person drinks the contaminated water once and the tiny traces have no effect. Water is essential for survival and drinking at least eight glasses of this drug infected water can be detrimental to your health. And this is while you are a healthy individual. Now think of the little children and the elderly! How would they be able to withstand the effects of say anti-epileptic pills? It is in everyone’s interest to act now before the contamination is too high to control.

Al Bracher has been researching water purification methods for several years. Visit home water purification to discover how to select the very best water filtration system for your home or office.

A probe unearths drugs in tap water! Waking up to such a statement is most likely today. Particularly if you are located in any one of the twenty four cities surveyed by AP or you are one of the forty one million Americans who face the risk of dangerous diseases. Even if you aren’t part fo this survey, you are still at risk – in fact even greater risk since you have no idea of the probable harm that could befall upon you. All this is thanks to the contamination of water bodies – natural or recycled all across the country. Doctors and scientists are of the opinion that in the long term, these contaminating agents are going to encourage the evolution of super bugs that will be resistant to all known antibiotics and other prescriptions. New research will have to be carried out to find methods of killing them. Meanwhile there is no telling how and how many people will get infected with what all new illnesses for which there is still no cure.

The drugs in tap water that I am talking about are serious kinds such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen and other prescription and over-the-counter drugs. In fact there are so many other kinds of medications that have been found in tap water. Everything from anti-depressants to sex hormones to heart medicines has been traced! It’s true that as of now these drugs are present in very tiny amounts – just enough to get identified. However, what is proving to be an issue is the increase in prescribed medicines across the country which will definitely lead to an increase in drugs in tap water! The whole issue is now becoming a growing health concern. The spreading of the contamination into surface water has become enough of an excuse for alarm.

To add to this is the fact that the water suppliers are aware of this issue and have chosen to keep this information to themselves – makes the whole ordeal sound fishy. It is only natural that at least the affected party be kept abreast of the findings. This way they will be better equipped to take the necessary steps to counter the drugs in tap water. Amusingly enough, a Californian water provider declares that the public is not capable of understanding the results of the tests. This statement has sparked off quite a bit of anger among the residents.

The real fear is the fear of what this contamination could lead to in the future – birth defects and even drug resistance.

The people feel that for starters they require clear cut rules regarding proper disposal of unused and unwanted medicines – particularly prescription drugs. If these rules are specific and are implemented with strictness, there is bound to be an improvement. Another very effective way of solving the drugs in tap water problem is to go in for an effective filter that will clean the water well. you can go in for a filtration system which will specifically clean up the water so that every drop you drink is pure water and nothing else.

Al Bracher has been researching water purification methods for several years. Visit home water purification to discover how to select the very best water filtration system for your home or office.

In the US we have some of the best living conditions that can be found anywhere in the world. We are prideful in this fact and boasts of it often. So, it comes as quite a shock to hear of the recent findings that have declared that there actually are drugs in our drinking water. It’s quite a frightening thought which pops into the mind every time you fill up a glass with tap water. Imagine drinking a light cocktail of heart medications, tranquilizers, anti-depressants and even sex hormones – everyday! That’s what it comes to. The regular intake of these drugs in our drinking water can harm us in the long run.

There are a number of researches and studies that are being conducted to determine the amount of prescription medications and their combined by-products and drugs found in US drinking water. They are also studying the effect of this contaminated water on the cells of human beings. Some results have shown that cancer cells grow rapidly in the contaminated water – drinking or otherwise. Other results have shown that normal cell development is hindered when exposed for long periods of time to this water.

Some people and specially water treatment bodies and pharmaceutical companies are of the opinion that the traces of drugs found in US drinking water are so low that they will not have any impact on human health. however, ingestion of heart medication, blood pressure medicine, contraceptives, mood stabilizers and even cancer medicines over a long period of time even in minute doses will definitely have some impact on human health!

Al Bracher has been researching water purification methods for several years. Visit home water purification to discover how to select the very best water filtration system for your home or office.

You may wonder how these drugs found in US drinking water end up there in the first place. A lot of doctors and health facilities recommend flushing unused medications down the toilet. These medications find their way into treatment plants that are not equipped well-enough to clean the water of these. Worse still are the drugs that end up in the ground water as these cause contamination to an even greater number. The bacteria and viruses that grow in sewers and were traditionally treated with antibiotics now evolve in the antibiotic water and become resistant to the very drugs that are meant to kill them. This means that there are now new strains of super bugs that are now difficult to kill and can harm people to a greater extent.

There is not enough awareness about this problem. And even among those who are aware, the seriousness is not enough to try and control it. It is up to us to be aware and take precautions and control measures instead of condemning the governing bodies. There are two things that need to be done. One is to clear out the drugs in our drinking water and the other is to do our bit to ensure that these drugs don’t get into the water system. Clearing the drugs in our drinking water is easier than it seems. What you will need is a very good filtration technique. Nowadays there are lots of good filtering systems designed specifically to clean pharmaceutical drugs from water. You have to look carefully to see that this is being done by the filtration system you choose.

It is in our interest to see that we don’t dispose of prescription drugs by flushing them into the sewage system. We can spread this idea among our friends and relatives.

Once you’ve reached the third trimester, you’ll probably start stocking up on nursing bras, breast pads, and loose button down shirts for the coming months ahead. While getting ready to breast feed, you can also create your personal area, a custom designed breast feeding area for yourself.

Your nursing area should reflect your personality. If you like a loud, yet friendly surrounding, you should consider setting in a corner of the living room or family room. Keep an extra chair or two near you so family members or even friends can keep you company.

If you prefer peace and quiet, a cozy study or empty guest room would be ideal. You can close the door, dim the lights down, then take a few deep, calming breaths while you breast feed.

Your own chair No matter if it’s a glider, overstuffed recliner, or desk chair with wheels, you should make sure your nursing chair is very comfortable. You’ll be sitting in the chair for hours each day, so you’ll want it to be very comfortable. You should always look for one that offers back and shoulder support, along with arm rests.

Support underfoot You can use a footstool, low coffee table or a stack of pillows to elevate your feet as you breast feed. If you raise your legs and feet to bring your baby to your breast, you’ll avoid possible backache.

Pillows and more pillows Your neck, arms, feet, and back will need as much support as you can give, so don’t hesitate to surround your body with pillows. If you lay a pillow across your lap for your baby to lay on, he’ll be very comfortable and that much closer to your nipple. For extra comfort, you can even purchase a specially made nursing pillow that will encircle your waist.

Table for one You should always keep a small table or stand within arm’s length of your breast feeding chair. What you use should be big enough to hold a coaster and glass of liquid. Some women prefer to drink through a straw, while others prefer to drink from the glass.

You’ll also want to keep healthy snacks on hand as well, such as fresh fruit, nuts, or crackers and peanut butter to help you replace the energy you use while you breast feed.

Distractions If your baby is a slow eater or has a really big appetite, you may want to keep yourself busy while he feeds. You can fill the shelves of a nearby cupboard or bookcase with your favorite books or crossword puzzles to occupy yourself until your baby is full. You should also keep a phone nearby as well so that you can talk to family or friends to pass the time.

Information on early signs of pregnancy can be found at the Pregnancy Facts website.

So, you’d like to join the thousands of people who have cast off their glasses thanks to the power of laser eye surgery. Before you dive straight into things, though, there are a few things you need to do before getting Lasik surgery. These aren’t hard and fast rules, but you’ll like be better off for following them.

1. Shop Around

Everyone wants to get a great deal on lasik, and the only way to do this is to shop around. Of course, laser eye surgery isn’t something you want to sell out to the lowest bidder. Make sure that you are looking at doctors who are reputable. Be sure to get an idea of what a doctor’s success rate if before committing to an operation. This is not the place to compromise, since you only have one pair of eyes. Try to find a reliable doctor who will give you good, personal attention.

2. Know Your Doctor’s Staff

Of course, you’re not going to be attended on by your doctor personally the entire time. Much of your pre and post operation care will be handled by nurses, so be sure that you find the help agreeable and friendly. Many people leave this out of their research, but it is too important overlook. Make sure the staff is friendly and helpful before taking the plunge.

3. Get Your Payment Arranged

Speaking of taking the plunge, you’ll need to figure out how you’re going to pay for the surgery. Lasik isn’t cheap, and many insurance companies don’t cover the operation. You’ll either need to save up, or get some sort of a loan. I would recommend saving up, as lasik surgery is more of a luxury for most people than a life saving operation.

4. Plan for Recovery

You’ll need to schedule several days after your surgery for proper recovery. Your doctor will fill you in on the exact number, but this is something many people don’t expect. Make sure you arrange for time off any obligations (work, etc.) during your recovery period.

5. Have Realistic Expectations

Laser eye surgery is an amazing procedure, but its not magic. Getting lasik does not mean you will never have to wear classes again. In fact, not all surgeries are successful. Additionally, you will not see better instantly after the surgery. You’ll have to wait until the end of the recovery period before really being able to judge the results of your surgery.

However, if you follow your doctor’s recovery instructions carefully, you have a very good chance of getting great results from laser eye surgery. It’s not cheap, easy, or quick, but if you do your homework and follow through, it doesn’t have to be that hard.

David Wilson invites you to learn more about lasik surgery at the New York Lasik Surgery Guide. Here, you’ll find more great information about laser eye surgery in New York that will apply no matter where you live.

While hypnosis was once considered a “new-age” treatment, today, it is gaining in popularity to help overcome many things such as smoking, weight gain, and stress. In mild cases, where a person recognizes the triggers but would like help controlling their reaction, posthypnotic suggestions can help them control their breathing, slow their heart rate, and achieve a relaxed state of mind. This permits them to deal with the problem in a calm and rational manner.

More severe cases are often the result of a traumatic childhood event. Most of the time, the event can no longer be recalled by the conscious mind, but is still retained in the subconscious. In these cases, the hypnotherapist will often apply age regression.

Age regression is one of the most powerful tool available to the hypnotherapist. With it s/he can guide the person back in time, and help them reexamine the event that initially triggered the fear from an objective point of view. Once the cause is revealed, the fear of losing control is eliminated.

You usually do need a hypnotherapist to partake of this type of therapy, but there are websites on the Internet that offer downloads of hypnosis sessions for a fee – of course.

Medications

Using pharmacology to treat phobias isn’t generally a widespread phenomenon. Most therapists prefer to explore some type of cognitive behavior therapy in order to combat the stressors that preclude an anxiety producing situation.

There are times when medications can be beneficial, but this is usually in situations that produce extreme anxiety all the time and can be treated effectively with anti-depressants – such as agoraphobia or generalized anxiety disorder.

Another situation where a medication might be appropriate is with a nerve-reducing drug such as Valium or Ativan. This type of medicating would be used, for example, with people who are afraid of social situations or fear flying.

With arachnophobia, the most effective fear reduction tool is with therapy. Very, very rarely will an arachnophobe be given medication to treat their phobia. As we’ve said before, phobias are very real to those who suffer from them and many times can induce panic attacks.

To learn about school phobia and weird phobias, visit the Phobia List website.

The Bias of Medical Care Providers towards Aging in Minnesota

Bias Towards Aging Affects the Medical Treatment Seniors Receive In many cultures in the world, elderly people are revered and their advice is sought and respected. In our culture, the wisdom, the knowledge and the social skills of the elderly are often overlooked and instead we focus on the mental and physical deficits of our older generation.

Because of this prevailing attitude, older people in our society are generally regarded as less valuable than younger people. The younger person has responsibilities of raising a family, maintaining a career and supporting the economy. The older person generally has no responsibilities and in addition is a drag on the economy since a great part of the tax base must go towards the support of older Americans.

It is inevitable that many medical care providers will unconsciously have this same attitude towards their older patients. As a result, if an older person has a medical complaint and the cause is not readily apparent, a medical practitioner is more likely to accept the condition as a consequence of old age. This attitude causes practitioners to focus treatment on making the elderly more comfortable in their old age as opposed to finding a cure. In younger people, if the medical complaint is interfering with normal daily function, typically a more concerted effort will be made to identify and correct the problem.

A 90 year old man meets with his doctor and complains about pain in his right knee. The doctor tells him,

“Well Henry, what do you expect? You’re 90 years old.”

Henry replies,

“But doctor my left knee is the same age as my right knee, there’s no pain and it feels just fine!”

Many in the health-care profession consider old age to be a disease itself. Any medical problems are inappropriately attributed to old age as if it were a medical condition. And since there is no cure for old age, appropriate tests and treatment are never performed. Thus, medical problems that may not be related to age and may just as frequently occur in younger people are often not treated. As an example, a recent survey of physicians involved in the health-care of the elderly reported that 35% of the doctors considered hypertension a result of the aging process and that 25% of them felt that treating an 85-year-old for symptoms of hypertension would cause more harm than the benefits it would produce.

Consider This Real-Life Example (courtesy of the National Care Planning Council, www.longtermcarelink.net) A 71 year old woman has surgery on her shoulder for a bone spur that is causing her considerable pain. The surgery is successful and she goes through several months of physical therapy to help her recover. But she is not recovering as expected. She continues to experience pain that radiates through her entire back. Her physical therapist does not know how to help her and attributes her failure to recover to old age.

She visits her family care doctor at least twice over the next six months, complaining of extreme tiredness and lack of energy. He tells her to exercise patience. He tells her that older people generally don’t recover as quickly from major surgery as younger people do. She should expect to be tired as surgery can have a major effect on the elderly.

Her skin color is gray and she does not look healthy. Finally she visits her doctor once again and insists he check her for some problem since she is not recovering from the surgery and she feels awful.

Based on her insistence, he does blood labs and discovers she is severely anemic. He puts her in outpatient care and gives her four units of red blood cells and puts her on iron supplementation. Within two weeks the pain has disappeared and within a month she has recovered fully from the surgery. Numerous tests are done but there is no explanation for the anemia.

Six months later she is healthy and active and her cheeks are ruddy. When she asks her doctor why he did not suspect anemia, he tells her that she has never had anemia and based on her history he would never expect her to develop it. He then tells her, in an obvious contradiction of his previous position, that older people sometimes fail to absorb iron.

If this had been a young person, the doctor would have likely suspected that something else was wrong and conducted the tests. Because this was an older person, the doctor assumed failure to recover was due to old age.

A Holistic Treatment Approach Most practitioners who specialize in medical care for the elderly are aware of the above-mentioned problems with older patients and they take a holistic approach with the medical treatment of their patients. An attempt is made, not only to treat the specific condition or conditions, but to make sure there is sufficient physical activity, proper nutrition and family support at home. Practitioners work closely with family members to make sure their loved ones are taking medications properly and are reporting their symptoms.