Literary Exemplars of Illness

Abstract

Creative literature is replete with examples of individuals who suffer from various maladies commonly presented by the older patient. Although the literary descriptions of these afflictions may be imprecise in their clinical evaluations of specific illnesses, these case histories provide the clinical educator with a means for personalizing scientific accounts of geriatric ailments by demonstrating their impact and effects on specific people. This study probes two reference works on the literature of aging and older adults to identify works that address physical and mental illness. These works provide an ample set of literary exemplars of common maladies suffered by older adults. Suggestions for their curricular inclusion are provided. Four appendices contain specific bibliographic materials for the introduction of literature into an allied health curriculum.