As global demographics shift toward an aging population, wound management in the elderly has become a clinical challenge. Wound management in this demographic is uniquely complex, requiring an understanding of age-specific changes and the multisystemic nature of geriatric health. This article focuses on challenges in geriatric wound care, specifically on how the skin's physical structure changes over time, the diverse range of treatment methods currently available, and the often-overlooked impact of a patient’s socioeconomic status on their recovery. One of the assessment tools being used nowadays is the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS), which, by shifting focus from chronological age to a patient's functional independence and comorbidity load, can better quantify their risk of complications. Current research into novel therapies, particularly the use of specialized wound dressings, advanced drug therapies and the integration of artificial intelligence, shows promising ways of predicting complications and personalizing care for older adults. Effective wound management in the elderly requires a transition from traditional episodic care to a multidisciplinary, technology-enhanced approach.
Lach et al. (Tue,) studied this question.