Health care research to improve the quality of health care provision for older people

This article addresses the contribution that health care research can make to facilitating appropriate health care provision for older adults. First, the major risks in this age group are described. These include multiple illnesses, the increasing need for nursing care with age, but also the growing numbers of older adults with psychological disorders, primarily dementia. The second section of the article presents a critical assessment of the current health care situation in light of the risks identified. On this basis, the third section specifies the areas of health care research that can contribute to improving the quality of the health care provision for this population. The article is based on a presentation made by the author at the 2010 Berlin Talks on Social Medicine: "The New Old - Health Care Research for a Changed Society."