Ageing
Our life expectancy has increased significantly over the last two centuries. Yet we spend 25 percent of our life suffering from chronic diseases and discomfort. Age is the major risk factor for most of these diseases and treating the elderly is complicated because of their vulnerability. Elderly patients have multiple diseases simultaneously (multimorbidity) and concomitant multiple medications (polypharmacy) and often prescibed in suboptimal combinations and dosages. Creating real value for elderly patients also means focusing on the consequences of disease and quality of life.
Longstanding tradition in human ageing research
The LUMC has a longstanding tradition in human ageing research and is leading national and international consortia with the mission to make people live healthier for longer. We envision disease in elderly patients as a holistic problem affecting many tissues simultaneously.
We treat elderly patients according to this perspective and in a process involving not only the clinic but also the living conditions, home care and lifestyle factors.