Are older women offered adequate health care?

The "graying of America" will have profound effects on the health care delivery system. With shrinking amounts of health care dollars, nurses and primary care providers need to promote health maintenance and disease prevention strategies that will foster healthier aging. This study was designed to examine the health promotion strategies of family practice physicians and residents. The target population was a sample of 201 women age 60 and older. The health maintenance issues were counseling about hormone replacement therapy (HRT), urinary incontinence (UI), and immunizations. The results clearly demonstrated that older women were not adequately immunized or counseled about HRT or UI. Nurses can play a pivotal role in changing these practices. Nurses can serve as advocates for older woman by encouraging them to request these services, or advanced practice nurses can provide these services.