Aging and the Aged Health Article

Professional implications

In 1965 the federal government created Medicare, a health insurance program for people age 65 and older. In 1999, Medicare spending totaled $181 million for the 39 million older and disabled people enrolled in the program.

The cost of health care for the aging population is among the issues that will be debated throughout the twenty-first century as the old-age dependency burden shifts to fewer younger people. This could lead to further discussion of health care rationing, i.e. whether the decision to provide some health care should be limited because of a person's advanced age. This issue was discussed in an article titled "Does Ageism Affect Health Care Rationing?" (found on the Novartis Foundation web site <www.healthandage.com>). The author cited an incident described in a 1998 issue of the medical journal, the Lancet. Both articles concerned an 88-year-old woman who stopped breathing three minutes after admission to a hospital emergency room. At issue was whether the woman should be revived since the admitting physician thought she would die anyway. The doctor revived the woman, who was still doing well several years later.

The Novartis Foundation writer pointed out that rationing wouldn't have been an issue with a younger patient. The writer maintained that age should not be an issue when determining whether to provide health care. The author warned that this issue is complex. In some cases, a patient may face a lingering death.

Debate will continue about euthanasia, mercy killing, and the right-to-die. Opponents of these procedures fear that patients may be pressured to end their lives. In some cases, this pressure may be based on rising health care costs.

Such debates will affect some members of the medical profession as they are faced with patients and families needing guidance. In addition, the shift to an evergrowing older population will affect health care in the twenty-first century.

On a more positive note, strategies to delay illness later in life benefit the elderly and help keep costs down. For example, delaying the onset of Alzheimer's disease by five years would cut its incidence in half and result in a saving of $50 billion annually in the United States.

This preventive treatment should focus on patients of all ages. The healthcare team should emphasize to patients that aging is an ongoing process, so that lifelong preventive measures such as diet and exercise are the best tools for long-term health.

Treating the older patient

For the older patient, the goal of treatment is to help a patient remain physically, mentally, and socially active for as long as possible. To achieve this goal:

• Patients above the age of 60 should have an annual comprehensive health assessment.
• Vitamins and inoculations are important.
• Patients should be advised that calcium from sources such as milk and dairy products is crucial for fighting osteoporosis and keeping teeth and bones strong.
• Diet should maintain the recommended body weight, so that a patient is not overweight or too thin. A low-fat diet is recommended because aging results in a lessening of fat-digesting enzymes.
• Patients should be reminded that regular exercise produces benefits that include well-being, good circulation, and good respiration. Exercise helps a person maintain coordination and mobility. Even if a person is in a wheelchair or bed, exercise will produce beneficial results.
• Early treatment to help prevent or lessen a risk of conditions such as cataracts or glaucoma.

The future

Since the aging population is growing and continues to increase, all health care professionals and staffs should receive geriatric training. The demographic trend also creates a demand for people with expertise in gerontology and geriatrics. Other career opportunities include work in long-term care facilities, health education for the aged, and home health care.

In addition, working with the aged prompts people in the nursing and allied health fields to take a look at their lives and those of their relatives. In doing so, they can make adjustments so that they can attempt to live long and healthy lives.

KEY TERMS

Chronic disease—A condition lasting a long time.

Cognitive—Able to know or perceive.

Geriatrics—The branch of medicine concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of conditions in aging people and the aged.

Gerontology—The study of the aging process and conditions associated with this process.