The leading causes of morbidity and mortality are almost all related
to chronic diseases, resulting in acute episodes of illness over
many years. The growing number of elderly with chronic disabling
illnesses and the increasing need for rehabilitative services
to support independent functioning means that patients and families
will require more psychological and social assistance in order
to address their problems effectively. Therefore, the goal of health
care for the older adult is not only to provide state-of-the-art
medicine and nursing, but must also focus on how the older person
can manage his or her health with quality of life. Thus, we require
state-of-the-art social work. Social workers and other health
professionals with knowledge in aging will become even more essential
to address the complex needs of older people and their
families. Elderly people with chronic diseases and activity limitation
will represent an increasing percentage of all persons helped
by social workers.