Guest blogger Adrienne Carlson on “What Doctors Need to Know When Treating the Elderly”

What Doctors Must Know When Treating the Elderly
It’s not something that we want to think of consciously, but then, we must accept that growing old is a fact of life and that all of us will get there someday. When we become old, one of the things we must deal with is others’ perception of us and the way they treat us. To society as a whole, the elderly have outlived their usefulness and are now just killing time until they pass away. This issue has raised a storm through the healthcare reforms that President Obama is proposing – the elderly are encouraged not to seek medical treatment that is going to only prolong their life for an uncertain period of time, with or without improving its quality, but which costs the state’s exchequer a large amount of money.
Yes, Obama went so far as to criticize his own grandmother’s hip replacement surgery, the one she underwent a month or so after being diagnosed with a terminal disease. He felt it was unnecessary, even though living with the broken hip would mean constant pain and suffering and dependence on painkillers for the rest of her life. So if we were to look through the eyes of the elderly, how would we want doctors to treat us? When dealing with senior citizens, here’s what doctors must know:

• They may be on various medications: Before doctors treat the elderly, they must determine what medicines they’re on when they prescribe new ones. Some medicines cause adverse reactions when mixed with others. They cannot depend on the patient to tell them of all the medication that they’re taking, so it’s best to either consult a loved one or talk to their previous doctor.    

• They need to be monitored: Senior citizens end up paying more for healthcare because they forget or fail to take care of themselves. They sometimes don’t take their medicines as prescribed and they’re prone to accidents. So they need to be monitored regularly if they are to avoid hospitalization.    

• They may not be able to follow doctors’ advice: Most doctors advise the elderly to stay active, take small walks every day, and look after their own needs. But because of unbearable pain due to arthritis or other ailments and infirmity due to old age, they may find it difficult to remain active. Doctors must allow them some leeway and instead prescribe pain medication that makes their lives easier.    

• They may need to sign a waiver: Because of patient confidentiality laws, doctors are sometimes prevented from discussing the condition and future care of elderly patients with their loved ones. They need to tell their patients about the waiver that they could sign to give relatives and children control over their medical records and further treatments. This allows the family to keep tabs on their loved one’s health and take decisions on treatment options.    

This guest article was written by Adrienne Carlson, who regularly writes on the topic of nurse practitioner schools, see

[http://nursepractitionerschools.org/ . Adrienne welcomes your comments and questions at her email address: adrienne.carlson1@gmail.com