Focus on Geriatric Medicine and Aging

Studies in the field of anthropology have shown that having a healthy grandmother plays a critically positive role in family cohesion. But the wholistic, personalized health needs of women in their elder years are not always recognized. This care disparity is all the more prominent in general OB/GYN practice, but thanks to the work of a select few, the trends may be about to change.

Dr. Matt Birnholz speaks with Dr. Sarah Berga, Professor and Chair of OB/GYN at Wake Forest School of Medicine at ACOG’s annual meeting in San Francisco. They discuss maintaining grandmothers' health across both physiological and psychological spectra, and how this attention in care fundamentally changes larger family units for the better.

The bowhead whale is the longest-living mammal on Earth. Its lifespan can exceed 200 years. What can we learn about fostering human longevity from the extraordinarily long-living animals in what author Dr. Steven Austad calls "Methuselah’s Zoo" (so named for Methuselah, the oldest figure in the Bible, said to have lived for 969 years)? Dr. Austad, professor of cellular and structural biology at the Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies at the University of Texas Health Science Center, talks to host Dr. Mary Leuchars.

We assume that we know the answer to the question, Why does the body age? In short, we age, and eventually die, because we live. But what can we learn from studying aging on a cellular level? Host Dr. Mary Leuchars talks with Dr. Steven Austad, professor of cellular and structural biology at the Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and research chair of the American Federation for Aging Research, about why humans age, why we age, how to extend longevity, and the ramifications of extending our lives.

House calls have become a rarity in the US, but were the cornerstone of medical care for most of modern medical history. Dr. Wayne McCormick, professor of medicine at the University of Washington's division of gerontology and geriatric medicine, talks about how physicians are once again incorporating house calls into their practice. How do insurance companies and Medicare reimburse house call visits, and are house calls a viable option for your practice? Hosted by Dr. Lee Freedman.

When older patients present with shortness of breath or fatigue, physicians may test for heart failure. Asthma is another diagnosis to consider, since a growing number of seniors have the condition. Dr. Richard deShazo, the Billy S. Guyton Distinguished Professor and professor of medicine and pediatrics at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, explains how older patients often experience asthma symptoms differently than younger patients. In a patient population that may have other comorbid conditions, what's the best way to treat asthma in seniors? Dr. Lee Freedman hosts.

Why are conventional emergency departments less than ideal environments for older patients, and how can EDs be acclimated for seniors? Dr. William Thomas, geriatrician and professor of aging studies at the Erickson School at the University of Maryland, describes to host Dr. Lee Freedman the philosophy behind the nation's first ED designed specifically for older patients, at Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Springs, Maryland. How do staffing and design changes, as well as new screening methods, help physicians better care for older patients? Is this model cost-effective and efficient enough for other hospitals to emulate?

Is there a best-practice approach to working with families of patients with dementia? Dr. Karen Hirschman, research assistant professor in the department of nursing and a fellow at the Institute on Aging in the Department of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania joins host Susan Dolan, RN to discuss many aspects of caring for patients with dementia in the hospital and at home. She also shares the progress of the Enhancing Care Coordination Study examining the benefits of home nursing care following a hospital stay for dementia patients.

There are many different types of long term care facilities, including nursing homes, skilled nursing facilities and assisted living facilities. Dr. Charles Crecelius, clinical instructor of internal medicine and geriatrics at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, explains the services these different facilities provide, and offers some suggestions to physicians about ways to assess long-term care facilities. Dr. Eric Tangalos hosts.

You can visit Medicare's Nursing Home Compare website here.

Additionally, senior resources for chronic pain, substance abuse, and addiction include the following:

• the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, or SAMHSA, offers a search engine of more than 20,000 drug and alcohol treatment providers offering different methods and levels of care across the country.
• the Forterus Senior Addiction Treatment Center page provides one of the most comprehensive resource for seniors with substance abuse and addiction problems available on the web.

What is the role of insulin growth factor in longevity? Dr. Nir Barzilai, director of the Institute for Aging Research at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and chaired professor of medicine and molecular genetics, speaks about changes in insulin-like growth factor pathways in relation to longevity. The genotype of exceptional age is also associated with improved cognitive function.

What does the latest research tell us about longevity? Dr. Nir Barzilai, director of the Institute for Aging Research at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and chaired professor of medicine and molecular genetics, discusses the development of a study in a homogenous founder population in order to identify the biological and genetic underpinnings of exceptional longevity. The genotype and associated phenotype may modulate aging processes and disease susceptibility. Hosted by Dr. Maurice Pickard.