Interesting to me and maybe to you!

[homelesshartshorns]

Doctors are ageist — and it's harming older patients (nbcnews.com)

[Kirk W]

Wow! I suspect that the majority of active participants in these forums are past the age of 65 and many of us are far past.   

Quote

There are roughly 7,300 certified geriatricians currently practicing in the U.S. and the American Geriatrics Society expects 30,000 geriatricians will be needed by 2030.Feb 27, 2018

 

Edited August 26, 2022 by Kirk W

[homelesshartshorns]

I just had an event last year that brought the reality of age to our attention. My Primary Doctor jocked with me that after age 70 they do less yearly test and are just interested in making me Comfortable. I have a story like most of us to tell but I will save it for those I meet on the road and set around the camp fire with. But I thought the artical was very inlighting...

[D&J]

Before early retirement my wife and I were EMTs on our VFD rescue unit and I can tell you that 80% of our calls for elderly patients was drug reaction problems and some were very serious. Because of what happened to my now passed sister years back and what happened to my wife's now passed cousin I have a very deep distrust of the medical community. Anymore it seems it's all about the almighty $ not practicing medicine. 

Denny

[Kirk W]

35 minutes ago, homelesshartshorns said:

are just interested in making me Comfortable.

When I turned 70 the VA stopped paying for me to have a colonoscopy and the doctor said that it was not need anymore. My primary care physician, an internist who has a largely geriatric practice, told me that it is because they & many other medical practices stop treating colon cancer in patients who are past 70 because they don't think that you will survive the treatment and it is expensive. She says that I should not stop getting them as long as I am mostly healthy, especially since my sister died from it. 

 

[Dutch_12078]

14 minutes ago, Kirk W said:

When I turned 70 the VA stopped paying for me to have a colonoscopy and the doctor said that it was not need anymore. My primary care physician, an internist who has a largely geriatric practice, told me that it is because they & many other medical practices stop treating colon cancer in patients who are past 70 because they don't think that you will survive the treatment and it is expensive. She says that I should not stop getting them as long as I am mostly healthy, especially since my sister died from it. 

Yes, the VA stopped mine at 70 too. My private PCP ordered what she thought would be my last colonoscopy when I was 75. When it turned up a circular tumor (fortunately benign) that required surgical removal by a specialist, I had to have two follow up colonoscopies, the second one last year, both completely clear. Now at 79, I've been told I won't need any more unless something changes in my PSA numbers. I won't miss them. I wonder how old I need to be to end prostate checks... 

[Chalkie]

Medicare does not set a maximum age limit for colonoscopy. However, based on how often they will cover unless you are in a high risk group I can see how it would seem so. Straight from medicare.gov:

Quote

Medicare covers screening colonoscopies once every 24 months if you’re at high risk for colorectal cancer. If you aren’t at high risk, Medicare covers the test once every 120 months, or 48 months after a previous flexible sigmoidoscopy. There’s no minimum age requirement.

I think that these days a Family Practice doctor sees just as many elderly patients as they do younger ones, they are in fact trained to treat all ages. Our primary care doctor who is board certified in Family Practice does what I expect of a primary care doctor, he conducts exams as needed, orders tests, and refers us to specialists as needed.

[Kirk W]

2 hours ago, Dutch_12078 said:

Now at 79, I've been told I won't need any more unless something changes in my PSA numbers.

I wonder why the PSA would matter for a colonoscopy? It is done to detect early stage prostate cancer. My VA labs always include my PSA and my primary care phsycian'd labs do not, or at least I haven't seen it on the reports. 

1 hour ago, Chalkie said:

unless you are in a high risk group

Which I used to be because my sister died from colon cancer and it is far more common in males. They seemed to consider it much less a factor as I got older. I had them on 3 year intervals until age 65 and then went to 5 years like most people with the same doctor. The time that I had polyps removed, they did another after only 1 year. Two of my 3 sons have had polyps that were such that one had a followup in 3 months due to the size that they were and the other in one year. Both of them are now on a 3 year cycle. 

[ashton23l]

4 hours ago, Kirk W said:

When I turned 70 the VA stopped paying for me to have a colonoscopy and the doctor said that it was not need anymore. My primary care physician, an internist who has a largely geriatric practice, told me that it is because they & many other medical practices stop treating colon cancer in patients who are past 70 because they don't think that you will survive the treatment and it is expensive. She says that I should not stop getting them as long as I am mostly healthy, especially since my sister died from it. 

 

I work for the VA and i would schedule you in a heart beat. I put in colonoscopy consults in for vets all the time up to their mid 80s.  more often than not, they dont want them after that, but I would schedule it if they wanted. 

[kb0zke]

Both of my parents and my sister worked in medicine. I became a teacher, but everyone said I should have become a doctor because I have the handwriting for it. I do tend to avoid doctors, though, mainly because I've always been pretty healthy. I'm past 70, and still do most of what I want to do. Some days my mind says I'm 25, but my back and knees beg to differ.

[Kirk W]

9 hours ago, Kirk W said:

When I turned 70 the VA stopped paying for me to have a colonoscopy

8 hours ago, Dutch_12078 said:

Yes, the VA stopped mine at 70 too.

Mine was at the Tyler VA Clinic and now I am a patient in the Garland Clinic and the new doctor has not asked about it. My primary care physican had one done just over a year ago when she discovered that I had been 6 years since my last. She now has it on my chart for 2026, for me to look forward to..........  🥴

[Dutch_12078]

6 hours ago, Kirk W said:

I wonder why the PSA would matter for a colonoscopy? It is done to detect early stage prostate cancer. My VA labs always include my PSA and my primary care phsycian'd labs do not, or at least I haven't seen it on the reports. 

You're absolutely right, I don't know where my mind went at the time. I meant to say "FOBT", a Fecal Occult Blood Test.

[sandsys]

Several years ago they stopped doing PAP smears on me. Today, at age 75, I received an appointment for surgery for cervical cancer. They're still not sure it is cancer but will remove all my female parts since it is likely so. Major surgery for "likely"? It will solve two other problems I have, though, so I will have the surgery-- just not for the reasons they think I should have it. Sometimes we all have to decide what is best for us.

Linda

[RV_]

Sorry to hear that Linda. Hope you have a trouble free procedure and an easy quick recovery.

[sandsys]

11 hours ago, RV_ said:

Sorry to hear that Linda. Hope you have a trouble free procedure and an easy quick recovery.

Thanks. It will not happen until late September but I don't anticipate any problems. It will be an outpatient procedure and Dave already does all the heavy lifting here so recovery should go well.

Linda

[RV_]

Great 🖖

Edited August 27, 2022 by RV_

[bruce t]

FWIW here in Australia the results of a new survey have just been released. (Survey was about teens v the elderly). The survey found that 75% of those over the age of 70 considered they were simply in God's waiting room. Only 25% had a positive outlook for their coming years.

The survey was looking at the mental consequences of the Covid lock downs. Teens suffered just as much as the ederly from social isolation. They paired teens with the elderly and found teens realised that the elderly weren't just grumpy old farts. The elderly got a new lease of life from the teens energy.

I'm waffling! But my point is that regardless of age and your GPS attitude towards those of us over 70 it's YOUR attitude that counts. A few weeks back I walked out on my GP when he said that because I was over 70 I had to live with my ailments. F#$$@ him. I found a new GP. But I hate to admit it. He was partly right. As old farts we do need to accept that our bits and pieces don't work like they once did. But we do have the right to make that decision and not have someone else tell us what we can or can't be treated for.

 

 

[Kirk W]

59 minutes ago, bruce t said:

But I hate to admit it. He was partly right. As old farts we do need to accept that our bits and pieces don't work like they once did. But we do have the right to make that decision and not have someone else tell us what we can or can't be treated for.

Exactly! I suspect that AU is like the USA in that the share of the population that is senior citizens is one of the most rapidly increasing parts. 

[Pappy Yokum]

A doctor just concluded a physical on an Italian gentleman, and commented,  "Mr Giluiano you're in remarkable health for a man of 72!  How old was your father when he passed away?"

Mr G:  Who said my father was dead?  He's 87 years old, healthy as a horse.  We both start off our day with a glass of vino, play a round of golf - then stroll down to the topless beach to look at the girls!"

Doc:  "Sorry for that mistake.  Well, so how old was your grandfather when he died?"

Mr. G:  Who said my nonno is dead?? -  He's 102 years old, and still in wonderful health!"

Smiling Doc:  "And I suppose he played a round of golf with you this morning?"

Mr. G:  "He usually plays golf with us every morning.....but he couldn't today."

Doc:  "Ahhh.......Why not?"

Mr. G:  "He was getting married!"

Exasperated Doc: "WHY would a 102 year old man want to get married !!??"

Mr. G:  Who said he wanted to??"

😁