Improving the health of older people: what do we do?

This article, based on a paper given at the International Network for Studies Concerning Older Adults conference in Brazil, considers the health of older people. It argues that greater efforts must be made both to improve preventive healthcare interventions and enhance quality of life. It is suggested that nurses have a significant but, as yet, largely unrealized role to play and that action is needed if older people are to get maximum benefit from health care.