Call out ageism problem in medicine

Q: I’m 70 and still bike metric century rides (100K, or 62 miles) once or twice a year. But when I went to a new orthopedic doc to ask about pain in my thumb, he looked at my chart and said, “Well you know, you are getting older ...,” so I told him to cut out the condescension and treat me like a 40-year-old! How do we stop this all-too-common medical ageism? Carolyn D., Denver

A: Ageism in medicine is a problem. Calling it out is one way to help change that. When you’re your own best patient advocate, you also help the next patient that comes through your doctor’s door. But we want practicing physicians to look beyond your chart.

According to the Social Security Administration, a woman turning 65 today can expect to live, on average, to age 86.5. A man reaching age 65 today can expect to live, on average, until age 84. The average life expectancy for a woman didn’t surpass 65 until 1944 and for a man, 1949. Today, about one out of every three 65-year-olds in North America will live past 90, and about one out of seven will live past 95. That means most people will spend more time in “elderhood” than childhood.

We estimate that those over age 65 are now more productive and generating more tax revenue than those under age 30!

Meanwhile, the Congressional Budget Office still considers all programs for those over age 65 a cost instead of a way to help generate revenue! They seem to be out of touch with current data.

That said, healthy aging does deserve some special consideration. Even when you are active and make sure to eat right and get enough sleep, bones can get brittle, skin and muscle can lose some suppleness, and aches and pains can become, well, recalcitrant. So, you need to make sure you continue to be physically active, manage stress and eat enough protein. You need a bit extra from veggies and fruit (a minimum eight to 10 servings a day) and lean meat/fish. Also, get regular bloodwork to make sure your vitamin levels are where they should be. Mehmet Oz, M.D. is host of “The Dr. Oz Show,” and Mike Roizen, M.D. is Chief Medical Officer at the Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute. Submit your health questions at www.doctoroz.com.