Gerontology (from the
Greek ,
geron, "old man" and -λογία,
-logia, "study of"; coined by
Ilya Ilyich Mechnikov in 1903) is the study of the
social,
psychological,
cognitive, and
biological aspects of
aging. It is distinguished from
geriatrics, which is the branch of medicine that specializes in the treatment of existing disease in older adults. Gerontologists include researchers and practitioners in the fields of biology, nursing, medicine, criminology, dentistry, social work, physical and occupational therapy, psychology, psychiatry, sociology, economics, political science, architecture, geography, pharmacy, public health, housing, and anthropology.