Health maintenance of the elderly.

Health maintenance of the elderly is an attractive concept in both humanitarian and economic terms. However, knowledge of this subject is in its infancy. Available information suggests that effective maintenance for this age group may be difficult, will require a broader range of strategies than with younger adults, and may not be without risk of significant iatrogenic insult from the measures employed. Therefore, this article discusses the principles by which health maintenance measures should be applied to the elderly population, evaluates the role of screening, outlines two health maintenance packages that appear simple safe and effective to apply, and examines briefly the cost implications of the measures described.