Update on the use of alternative medicine by the elderly

Ten years ago, I edited a textbook on the use of alternative medicine by the elderly [1]. The purpose of the present chapter is to briefly highlight significant improvements in our understanding of the use of alternative medicine by this growing segment of the world’s population, by summarizing recent published literature on this topic. An opening section describes the prevalence and rationale for use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), drawn from epidemiological studies, followed by an overview of recent research on CAM therapies, for specific mental and physical conditions.