In Douglas County, NV., roughly two-thirds of the population is over 65. As more retirees migrate from CA to the county, the doctor:patient ratio gets wider. Already, many doctors have retired and/or become concierge doctors. And the treatment is geared toward checking off all the lab and imaging tests without the acute ability to diagnose problems. I've lost count of the times a medical professional (MD or Nurse Practitioner) has shrugged and said, "Gee, I just can find anything wrong." One twit actually had the nerve to say, "I can't find anything to charge you for." As she leaned over with her stethoscope, she screamed that I had a suspicious mole on my neck. When she called in the MD to check it, he nodded and said, "Have it biopsied." He looked like he was still in high school, but maybe that's because I'm OLD. I took a photo of it when I got home and saw a nice pinhead-sized, round mole. In another visit, the assistant entered the room with a syringe in her hand, saying it was a flu shot before I could say yay or nay. And those are just a couple of MY experiences. Friends have experienced horror stories and too many have died from malfeasance. I've decided medical care at any level is bogus and won't be trusting my life to anybody.
Very interesting. I had not heard of age-friendly medicine, previously . I've put it on my list to check further. I don't trust the health care system at all - maybe there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
Great article and I was pleased to read and share it. I couldn't agree more from my perspective, which is that of a long time ICU Nurse. Thank you Don.
There are poor quality primary healthcare services provided to older people, most of premature deaths as well as associated disabilities can be reduced through the application of active and healthy ageing principles, and by governments leading the way in prevention through the delivery of effective primary healthcare services
High numbers of older people are unaware of healthy lifestyles and active ageing; the prevention, self-management, and treatment of chronic disease, especially hypertension and diabetes; and, desired more information from healthcare providers.
Must to promote primary healthcare worker’s knowledge of healthy ageing through training.
You're right, Ermira. Health care workers at all levels need to know more about the specifics of aging bodies. And healthy lifestyles and preventive care could make aging easier to manage.
Don, this is a terrific and much needed post - thank you. You might be interested in my husband Sam Harrington’s very good book on a related topic: "AT PEACE: Choosing a Good Death After a Long Life." He's a retired physician and also squarely addresses the fact that the healthcare system in the U.S. does not serve our older population; over treatment is a significant problem. Hence his focus on "how to die well." https://samharrington.com/at-peace/
In Douglas County, NV., roughly two-thirds of the population is over 65. As more retirees migrate from CA to the county, the doctor:patient ratio gets wider. Already, many doctors have retired and/or become concierge doctors. And the treatment is geared toward checking off all the lab and imaging tests without the acute ability to diagnose problems. I've lost count of the times a medical professional (MD or Nurse Practitioner) has shrugged and said, "Gee, I just can find anything wrong." One twit actually had the nerve to say, "I can't find anything to charge you for." As she leaned over with her stethoscope, she screamed that I had a suspicious mole on my neck. When she called in the MD to check it, he nodded and said, "Have it biopsied." He looked like he was still in high school, but maybe that's because I'm OLD. I took a photo of it when I got home and saw a nice pinhead-sized, round mole. In another visit, the assistant entered the room with a syringe in her hand, saying it was a flu shot before I could say yay or nay. And those are just a couple of MY experiences. Friends have experienced horror stories and too many have died from malfeasance. I've decided medical care at any level is bogus and won't be trusting my life to anybody.
Sue, I'm not sure ALL medical care is bogus, but I certainly share your frustration with the way many professionals practice their craft.
There's an old joke: what do you call a medical student who graduated at the bottom of the class? Doctor.
Very interesting. I had not heard of age-friendly medicine, previously . I've put it on my list to check further. I don't trust the health care system at all - maybe there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
Let's hope so. There are a lot of us and the field needs to pay attention.
Great article and I was pleased to read and share it. I couldn't agree more from my perspective, which is that of a long time ICU Nurse. Thank you Don.
Thank you, Kristin. I appreciate the validation.
You're welcome, it's always nice to be heard :)
There are poor quality primary healthcare services provided to older people, most of premature deaths as well as associated disabilities can be reduced through the application of active and healthy ageing principles, and by governments leading the way in prevention through the delivery of effective primary healthcare services
High numbers of older people are unaware of healthy lifestyles and active ageing; the prevention, self-management, and treatment of chronic disease, especially hypertension and diabetes; and, desired more information from healthcare providers.
Must to promote primary healthcare worker’s knowledge of healthy ageing through training.
You're right, Ermira. Health care workers at all levels need to know more about the specifics of aging bodies. And healthy lifestyles and preventive care could make aging easier to manage.
Don, this is a terrific and much needed post - thank you. You might be interested in my husband Sam Harrington’s very good book on a related topic: "AT PEACE: Choosing a Good Death After a Long Life." He's a retired physician and also squarely addresses the fact that the healthcare system in the U.S. does not serve our older population; over treatment is a significant problem. Hence his focus on "how to die well." https://samharrington.com/at-peace/
Debbie, thanks for the recommendation.