Doctor Shortage: Who Will Take Care of the Elderly?
Doctor Shortage: Who Will Take Care of the Elderly?
As the number of geriatricians shrinks, the future care of seniors could be in jeopardy.
By Magaly Olivero | Contributor April 21, 2015, at 9:32 a.m.
A shortage of health care providers who specialize in geriatrics at a time when the number of people ages 65 and older is rapidly growing threatens to jeopardize the health of older Americans, according to experts in the field.
“We are not prepared as a nation. We are facing a crisis,” says Dr. Heather Whitson, associate professor of medicine at the Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, North Carolina. “Our current health care system is ill equipped to provide the optimal care experience for patients with multiple chronic conditions or with functional limitations and disabilities.”
Nancy Lundebjerg, chief executive officer of the American Geriatrics Society, says the shortage “means that people who really need the services of a geriatrician won’t necessarily have access to that kind of expertise. That’s probably true right now across the country.” AGS is a nonprofit organization based in New York that focuses on improving the health and quality of life of older adults.
