Managing rheumatologic disease in nursing home patients

Precise diagnosis and treatment are essential when dealing with rheumatologic complaints in elderly nursing home patients. National surveys suggest that for every nursing home resident, there are two equally frail elders living in the community. The same principles of diagnosis and management apply to this latter group of patients, including use of multidisciplinary input from nurses and physical and occupational therapists, who are becoming increasingly available in the rapidly expanding and accessible home healthcare system. However, the therapeutic value of the physician's thoughtful and empathic history taking and careful hands-on examination should not be underestimated.