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GERIATRIC
CARE
might motivate them to achieve better compliance with treatments function, depression, chronic pain, memory medications, stop-
and health care practices. This may require extra time during an en- smoking aids, and gastrointestinal problems. Physicians may need
counter to discuss the specific thoughts and needs of the patient. to teach their patients not to believe all they see on television or
read on the internet.
Some medical offices employ HIPAA-compliant patient portals
to optimize communication with their doctor. These provide a HEALTHY AGING ISSUES
layer of health-care security lacking in regular email, texts, tweets, The Baby Boom generation introduced many healthy lifestyle in-
or Facebook.
novations which are accepted as commonplace today. They jogged,
In some instances, patients might need to be reminded that col- avoided tobacco, and watched their weight and cholesterol. But over
laboration does not render them a colleague. Doctors possess train- the years, affluence breeds corpulence and obesity is putting
ing and experience far beyond that of a layman and ultimate Boomers at risk of increased health hazards.
responsibility for medical decision-making rests entirely on the
physician. Doctors should remind their Baby Boomer patients of the impor-
tance of trimming down, getting proper rest and exercise, and main-
PATIENT’S RIGHTS ISSUES taining proper balance in life.
A fundamental pursuit of the Baby Boom generation was to re-
To sum it up, the influence of the Baby Boom generation has been
spect the rights of each person as an individual. People must be profound in the modern-day transition of American society. This
able to express their opinions and deserve to be heard. In this re- generation is healthier and more active than their parents and is liv-
gard, doctors should make patients aware of their own responsi- ing longer. Doctors willing to understand Boomer motivations and
bility to take control of health care decisions by preparing and reflect a willingness to partner-up with these patients may bring
maintaining advanced directives, and discussing healthcare pref- about a healthier and more active geriatric population over the
erences with their family. decades before us.
TECHNOLOGY AND HEALTH CARE Dr. Robert M. Kruger is a geriatric internal medicine consultant at
CONSUMERISM ISSUES Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center. He is Clinical Associate Pro-
fessor of Medicine at the Uniformed Services University of the Health
Pharmacologic companies often target the affluent Baby- Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland.
Boomer population with medical treatments. Consumers are
bombarded with commercials offering a treatment for erectile dys-
visit us at www.bcms.org 21
