In our fast-paced society, often preoccupied with progress and efficiency, the elderly are easily marginalized.  The elderly patient, who often needs more time and whose issues are more complex, can easily be seen as a burden to doctors under pressure. Young doctors in particular may develop an aversion to elderly patients, referring to them as “rocks” because they take so long to leave the hospital. When it comes to care for the elderly, the medical culture is in need of transformation. As a geriatrician, I have made caring for the elderly my profession.  Over the years, I have learned that the best way to do this is through mentoring and teaching my younger colleagues one-on-one. Each week, a different medical resident spends the morning with me caring for vulnerable elderly veterans. I share my philosophy with them and let them see it in action. But the real teachers are the patients: The 82-year-old man who can’t remember what he ate for breakfast but gives a fascinating account of the Normandy landing, or the elderly couple who have been married for 60 years and show us a picture of their great-great grandchildren. They have a way of putting things in perspective, and the wisdom of their years and experience shines through. This simple approach to reforming the medical culture has been more successful than I ever anticipated. Now every medical resident gets to take a week or two out of their busy schedule to spend time learning about geriatrics. We hope they come to see, as we do, that caring for the elderly is not a burden but a privilege.

Jenny Driver, MD, is a geriatrician who is an Instructor at Harvard Medical School. Do you have an experience you would like to share about changing the culture in your workplace?  Email us at info@murrayhillinstitute.org.