The Baby Boomers are coming! Seventy million new 65 year old seniors appear to be an opportunity for physicians and other medical professionals to move toward geriatrics.

The Veterans Support Center, a service organization, works with the already 46 million senior citizens, age 65 and older. Our organization is a 501(c) 3 non-profit and serves wartime veterans, their spouses or surviving spouses. We help obtain fun0ds for unreimbursed medical expenses including homecare, independent living, assisted living and nursing care.

While carrying out our duties we communicate with physicians, medical facilities, social workers, families and the elderly.  In many cases I talk to the medical provider, family members, siblings and the caregivers for the senior. When I suggest that the family or sibling should get involved with care for moms, dads, uncles, aunts or grandparents, they are often surprised that they can be involved.

When a child is malnourished, medical professionals can intervene and protect the infant. But, according to what I have discovered, there are different rules when a senior is dehydrated or malnourished, and the families must get involved immediately.

As the aging American population grows, the primary care physician (PCP) most in demand will be the geriatrician. My perspective is that geriatricians and medical associations are currently stepping up to provide the education for healthcare providers and the new caregivers: the senior extended family.  According to Lynne Jeter’s article in the August issue of Memphis Medical News, featuring Jeanne Wei, MD, PHD, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences; the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services (CMS) said that “those who provide primary care would get a slight increase in their reimbursement.”

I am approached by seniors (80-90 years old) and they are not accustomed to asking for help. When I interact with geriatricians, their compassion for the aged comes out. Compassion for the aged needs to be the new mantra in medicine and medical care for seniors. Based on some experiences I have had with ER and medical emergencies in hospitals and care facilities, when the elderly patient comes in, it is assumed they are and have been homebound or bedbound for a lengthy time. Sometimes that is true, but many times the senior has been self-sufficient for many years and has now suffered a severe trauma, either physically or mentally. When physicians have not been exposed to many geriatric patients, they may not be prepared to handle the new malady.

When a family recognizes the senior’s new “problems,” they do not have a clue as to their responsibilities or options. The maze of forms and documents that we help with leads us to believe the seniors need more information as soon as they begin to age to reduce their fear of seeking help. Physicians can recommend a cane or walker to protect the senior from falls. We must remind families and caregivers that falling is not “normal.” Seniors want to remain independent and continue driving. We must make sure the issue of safety and driving is discussed by the primary care physician, because the senior may not respond to family requests.

James E. Bailey, MD, professor at UTHSC, advocates the Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH), and Lester Gingold, owner and publisher of The Best Times suggests that studies should be made on medicines and their contradictions to seniors. Robert Burns, MD, office of geriatrics, encourages the staff and associates to be good elderly educators and have compassion for the senior.

We help wartime veterans and their families with their financial plan and their benefits plan for their future years.

I do not have a medical background; I provide services for seniors. I applaud all practices involved in geriatrics and encourage other physicians to make it your specialty.

Those are my observations.

Ishmel Greene has been in financial services for 33 years and works with seniors, senior veterans and their families at The Veterans Support Center. He is an income planner for seniors and his goal is the safety and longevity of assets and income. He can be reached at ish@veteranscv.com.

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