Fellows-in-Training Newsletter
As Chair-Elect of the Fellows-in-Training Section of the American Geriatrics
Society, I would like to extend heartfelt greetings to all of my colleagues
in the field of geriatrics. This is certainly an exciting time for those
of us concerned about the health care of older adults. We are all familiar
with the changing demographics of our global society, and the predicted
future needs for additional health care providers with specialty training
related to aging.
We are rapidly moving toward the new millennium, and I would encourage
you to stop and ponder the changes that have occurred in both medicine
and society-at-large over the past one-hundred years. I try to imagine
the issues my ancestors faced in the late 1800s as they approached the
turn of the century. Although there are certainly differences, I am sure
that many central themes of concern remain the same today. I would also
ask you to take the time to consider your own aging. What is your vision
for the future of elder care? What topics should take priority for impending
clinical and research agendas? How can you make a difference? We are in
a position to help shape the policy and practices that will influence
our own lives into the geriatric years. I encourage you to take an active
role in this process.
The evolution of computer technology has clearly been one of the leading
developments of the twentieth century. We are constantly bombarded by
the media about the pending ‘Y2K’ dilemma. The principal concern
is that computers will not be able to recognize dates after the year 2000.
As a geriatric specialist, I find this debate particularly intriguing.
Last week, when I met with a biostatistician colleague regarding one of
my research projects, I had the opportunity to experience the wrath of
the Y2K bug firsthand. We had transferred information on nearly one-thousand
patients from the central hospital computer system to a research database
for additional analysis. Both of the systems are supposedly Y2K compatible.
However, in the process, the computers converted most of the birth dates
of my elderly subjects. Instead of recognizing that they were born in
the early 1900s, it claimed they were born in 2013, 2025, or another future
date. This incident reminds me that in our enthusiasm for tomorrow, we
must not lose sight of our past.
The scientific and technical advances which have revolutionized health
care over the past century have allowed us to begin to shift our focus
from prolonging the length of human life to extending and improving the
quality of our lives. Ongoing developments in molecular and cellular biology,
an increased understanding of psychosocial health and illness, and a heightened
emphasis on health services and outcomes research will continue to expand
our comprehension of the aging process.
During the past year, the American Geriatrics Society welcomed more than
650 new individuals into membership. Last year’s annual meeting in
Seattle saw record-breaking attendance, and the trend is expected to continue
at the upcoming meeting in Philadelphia. The multi and interdisciplinary
aspects of geriatrics continue to flourish. Although primary care will
always remain the cornerstone of geriatrics, there is an increasing awareness
of the need for experts from all fields who share a passion for quality
elder care. As a surgical specialist I am particularly encouraged by this
trend. The American Geriatrics Society serves as a forum for all health
care professionals in the field of aging. This is your society. Welcome.
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