Last Saturday, I fnally decided to become a Geriatrician- one who takes care of the wiser and older people. I realized that sooner or later all of us are going there and what better way to prepare for it is to understand the physiologic changes of aging.
The first module that we took tackled Anatomy and Epidemiology of Aging. You see, there are myths related to aging and we are all guilty, in one way or another, of using aging as an excuse not to understand our parents or the older people we work with. One night, a neighbor came to the house requesting me to visit his father-in-law who has not been eating for 3 days and not wanting to leave his room.
When I reached his father-in-law's house, I was ushered to a dark second floor room, with not much ventilation, very dirty floor, and the bed mattress lying on the floor smelling stinky and 'old'. I was surprised to see that the old man have very enlarged lymph nodes which,as explained by the daughter, has been operated on five years ago, apparently became bigger than ever after the surgery. I proceeded to talk to the old man who was lying on the bed, eyes closed appearing to look asleep. After introducing myself to him in a cheerful tone, I then asked him if he has any complaints. He said " I'm okay!". He was still closing his eyes. I told him that his children are worried because he has not been eating. He said again "I'm okay!".... so I decided to do my physical examination. It really stabbed my heart that he looked neglected but the children appeared very concerned anyway. Finally I told him that if he doesn't eat we will be forced to bring him to a hospital and feed him through a tube. Then he said " There's nothing wrong with me! I can eat but many times, I wake up hungry and when I go to the kitchen, I still have to prepare the food or heat it and that tires me a lot, besides I have no one to talk to!".
So there it is! the children thought they've been doing their best to feed the father by leaving food in the refrigerator or the microwave but the poor man is too weak to do all these things on his own--- he's already 75 and his body lost it's strength because of his immunocompromised state. Anyway, I talked to the children and told them that their father needs attention and they need to schedule a time to take turns in taking care of him. After all, he has done his part in making them professionals and giving them their needs when they were helpless children. It was their turn to take care of him. I also told them to clean the house and make the room conducive to sleep.
They were so embarassed after that but hey... let us all realize that we too will become old as this man and do we want our children to leave us in a dark dirty room with food in the ref but no one to talk to?
The first module that we took tackled Anatomy and Epidemiology of Aging. You see, there are myths related to aging and we are all guilty, in one way or another, of using aging as an excuse not to understand our parents or the older people we work with. One night, a neighbor came to the house requesting me to visit his father-in-law who has not been eating for 3 days and not wanting to leave his room.
When I reached his father-in-law's house, I was ushered to a dark second floor room, with not much ventilation, very dirty floor, and the bed mattress lying on the floor smelling stinky and 'old'. I was surprised to see that the old man have very enlarged lymph nodes which,as explained by the daughter, has been operated on five years ago, apparently became bigger than ever after the surgery. I proceeded to talk to the old man who was lying on the bed, eyes closed appearing to look asleep. After introducing myself to him in a cheerful tone, I then asked him if he has any complaints. He said " I'm okay!". He was still closing his eyes. I told him that his children are worried because he has not been eating. He said again "I'm okay!".... so I decided to do my physical examination. It really stabbed my heart that he looked neglected but the children appeared very concerned anyway. Finally I told him that if he doesn't eat we will be forced to bring him to a hospital and feed him through a tube. Then he said " There's nothing wrong with me! I can eat but many times, I wake up hungry and when I go to the kitchen, I still have to prepare the food or heat it and that tires me a lot, besides I have no one to talk to!".
So there it is! the children thought they've been doing their best to feed the father by leaving food in the refrigerator or the microwave but the poor man is too weak to do all these things on his own--- he's already 75 and his body lost it's strength because of his immunocompromised state. Anyway, I talked to the children and told them that their father needs attention and they need to schedule a time to take turns in taking care of him. After all, he has done his part in making them professionals and giving them their needs when they were helpless children. It was their turn to take care of him. I also told them to clean the house and make the room conducive to sleep.
They were so embarassed after that but hey... let us all realize that we too will become old as this man and do we want our children to leave us in a dark dirty room with food in the ref but no one to talk to?
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