Respect and care for the older person

Abstract

Your Editorial (Nov 20, p 1711)1The LancetRespect and care for the older person.Lancet. 2010; 376: 1711Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (2) Google Scholar was very helpful in highlighting the major failure of the UK (and other) health-care systems to age-attune their services. However, it ends with a suggestion that geriatricians “should now demand that changes are made to make good care the standard”. In fact, they (and the UN) have being doing just that for many years,2O'Neill D Hastie I Williams B Developing specialist healthcare for older people: a challenge for the European Union.J Nutr Health Ageing. 2003; 7: 1-4PubMed Google Scholar emphasising the need for gerontological training for all health-care workers in both primary and secondary care, as well as the development of academic geriatric medicine in all medical schools. Although some European countries have risen to the challenge, much remains to be done.3Michel JP Huber P Cruz-Jentoft AJ Europe-wide survey of teaching in geriatric medicine.J Am Geriatr Soc. 2008; 56: 1536-1542Crossref PubMed Scopus (61) Google ScholarGiven the recognised efficacy of age-attuned services—acute geriatric medicine reduces death and disability by 25%,4Ellis G Whitehead M Robinson D Langhorne P O'Neill D Comprehensive geriatric assessment for older adults admitted to hospital: Cochrane review.Eur Geriatr Med. 2010; 1 (abstr).: O17Google Scholar and coordination of geriatric medicine and surgery leads to major reduction of morbidity and costs5Harari D Hopper A Dhesi J Babic-Illman G Lockwood L Martin F Proactive care of older people undergoing surgery (‘POPS’): designing, embedding, evaluating and funding a comprehensive geriatric assessment service for older elective surgical patients.Age Ageing. 2007; 36: 190-196Crossref PubMed Scopus (257) Google Scholar—gerontologically attuned services now represent the norm for the highest-attainable standard of care which might be considered a basic right under the UN Declaration of Human Rights.The ball now lies in the court of other physicians (from general practitioners to surgeons) and health-care managers to recognise the need to increase their training and skills to manage the increased complexity of care of older people, the core clientele of adult health services. Respect and care are important elements of health-care, but just as with any other area of practice, should not obscure the need to develop and maintain the necessary competence and knowledge.I declare that I have no conflicts of interest. Your Editorial (Nov 20, p 1711)1The LancetRespect and care for the older person.Lancet. 2010; 376: 1711Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (2) Google Scholar was very helpful in highlighting the major failure of the UK (and other) health-care systems to age-attune their services. However, it ends with a suggestion that geriatricians “should now demand that changes are made to make good care the standard”. In fact, they (and the UN) have being doing just that for many years,2O'Neill D Hastie I Williams B Developing specialist healthcare for older people: a challenge for the European Union.J Nutr Health Ageing. 2003; 7: 1-4PubMed Google Scholar emphasising the need for gerontological training for all health-care workers in both primary and secondary care, as well as the development of academic geriatric medicine in all medical schools. Although some European countries have risen to the challenge, much remains to be done.3Michel JP Huber P Cruz-Jentoft AJ Europe-wide survey of teaching in geriatric medicine.J Am Geriatr Soc. 2008; 56: 1536-1542Crossref PubMed Scopus (61) Google Scholar Given the recognised efficacy of age-attuned services—acute geriatric medicine reduces death and disability by 25%,4Ellis G Whitehead M Robinson D Langhorne P O'Neill D Comprehensive geriatric assessment for older adults admitted to hospital: Cochrane review.Eur Geriatr Med. 2010; 1 (abstr).: O17Google Scholar and coordination of geriatric medicine and surgery leads to major reduction of morbidity and costs5Harari D Hopper A Dhesi J Babic-Illman G Lockwood L Martin F Proactive care of older people undergoing surgery (‘POPS’): designing, embedding, evaluating and funding a comprehensive geriatric assessment service for older elective surgical patients.Age Ageing. 2007; 36: 190-196Crossref PubMed Scopus (257) Google Scholar—gerontologically attuned services now represent the norm for the highest-attainable standard of care which might be considered a basic right under the UN Declaration of Human Rights. The ball now lies in the court of other physicians (from general practitioners to surgeons) and health-care managers to recognise the need to increase their training and skills to manage the increased complexity of care of older people, the core clientele of adult health services. Respect and care are important elements of health-care, but just as with any other area of practice, should not obscure the need to develop and maintain the necessary competence and knowledge. I declare that I have no conflicts of interest.