Why Older Americans Are More Likely to Be Harmed by Medical Care

Louise Aronson, author of "Elderhood: Redefining Aging, Transforming Medicine, Reimagining Life," argues against considering old age as a stigma perpetuated by society and compounded in the United States by a lack of geriatricians, reports MarketWatch . She blames a vicious cycle "where we create places that cater to seniors and then we say older people are socially isolated and we don't see them." Aronson also warns that "older people are the ones who are most likely to be harmed by medical care because the bodies are different, the risks and procedures are felt differently" compared to younger people. She says one example of caretakers is often mistaking delirium in older adults as a sign of dementia, noting "in the medical field, you can get care for the wrong need." Aronson adds that progress and improvement hinges on acknowledging the older population's unique needs, which can include geriatric emergency departments and geriatric sections in hospitals. "We need to think of older adults of all ages more," she concludes.