Geriatric experts offer insight into healthcare planning
When the older generation needs additional support, the child becomes the parent. But this role reversal is rarely a comfortable fit. Starting a conversation about finances or moving into an assisted-living facility can be met with a variety of responses, from merely awkward to anger.
We are in the midst of what is called “The Silver Tsunami” — a burgeoning population of people living into their 90s and beyond. .
. Many elders are coping with chronic conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes or Alzheimer’s, with the day-to-day management of those complex medical cases falling squarely on family members, not trained professionals, the study said.
In an effort to improve the odds of success, we asked local and national experts: What is the one thing that the elderly and their caregivers should know about navigating this last chapter of life? Here are their edited responses. the planning is about having more information. But it really starts with a reflective process.
“One of the important questions we ask patients with advanced age and illness: What would it (take) for us (health care professionals or family) to help you live well at this point of your life? Very few people can give an answer on the first response. So, you have to keep asking: What else? Often, you don’t get it until the third and fourth answer.
“Simply putting those wishes on paper without the benefit of your family doesn’t mean that your family will honor them. I’ve seen people go to their attorney, get an advance directive ... and the first time relatives see it is in the crisis.
“What really changes this is whenfamiliescansay, ‘We know he doesn’t want a lingering death,’ or someone else might say, ‘Give me every chance. I don’t care how small it is.’ Even with the best of intentions, most families find this discussion difficult … but when they are facilitated by someone outside the family, we can avoid the pitfalls and make sure they are guided to the right level of detail.”
Dr. Mark R. Katlic,
“Older patients and their caregivers often discount surgery as a viable option to improve quality of life or extend life. When considering surgery, it is more important to focus on functional age rather than chronological age. I recently performed l ung surgery on a 104-year- old with a lung condition to help relieve shortness of breath. While the surgery won’t cure the condition, it is a form of palliative care that has improved her quality of life. As long as a patient is healthy and strong enough, they shouldn’t be denied the chance to have surgery that could benefit them, regardless of their age.”
Anita Tomasevic
“No matter your age, staying fit and active is important. We see people who never exercised before and they start coming to class and everything improves ... their flexibility, balance, strength, mood. It might take awhile — maybe eight weeks — but they can feel better and when they stop, they hurt. Somepeople even cometwice a day. It’s important to know that there can be improvement, even for people with dementia, who have always been sedentary.”