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How to find a doctor interested in providing care for aging patients?

Posted by codered032 @codered032, Feb 14 5:32am

I am new to this group so I will try to keep this short. I am 74yo, have been relatively stable health. I have arthritis and have had joint replacement surgery which has been successful. I was diagnosed with a rare kidney disease in 2019 and treated with a nephrologist. I have been in remission for over two years. Medical treatment has become so specialized. The doctor will only address his area of treatment. Nobody looks at the patient as a whole person. Office visits are limited to 15 minutes and I am lucky if I speak with the doctor for five of those 15 minutes. I am currently on no prescription medication for chronic illness. Last year I attempted to establish a relationship with a gerontologist who never examined me. She reviewed my health history, that was obtained by the nursing assistant, asked a few questions, ordered routine labs, and never scheduled a follow up visit. Recently I called to ask for pain management because I was having an arthritis crisis and her only suggestion was Tylenol. I attend warm water therapy 3-4 X week and Tylenol was of little benefit. She showed no concern for my current condition. I have never asked for pain medication nor have I ever complained about my arthritis. I got the impression that she thinks that at 74 I am going to have pain and that I have to adjust to it. I know that at this stage of my life I need a trusting primary physician who is willing to listen and be interested in my overall health. Any suggestions for finding a doctor who is interested in providing care for aging patients?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Aging Well Support Group.

bluehorse10 | @bluehorse10 | Feb 21 9:11pm
In reply to @bluehorse10 "I have RA and pulmonary fibrosis and am supposed to have a team. I can't get..." + (show)
@bluehorse10

I have RA and pulmonary fibrosis and am supposed to have a team. I can't get that worked out. I have constant inflammation and other difficulties. But no one seems to be together in caring for the conditions, or for my issues for that matter. As a 78 year old woman, I often think it is my age. Or maybe I have a personality that bothers others. In any case, I do keep blaming myself for one thing, but the other is a choice to consider the others uncaring and inadequate. I hate to think a team simply doesn't care enough to even discuss or do a referral. But it does seem to me that I am not getting proper care. It is painful and hard and I am left to all my own devices in trying to help myself. Anyone else going through such conflicts with their illnesses?

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Continued: Like ColoRed, our docs have 15 minutes to spend with us.
However, what I do have is a pain med. dr. who spends time with me on my pain and genuinely seems to care. I feel so fortunate in that regard and hope CR finds the same help. 15 minutes is less time than brushing your teeth.

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colely | @colely | Feb 22 9:04am

Do you live near a teaching hospital? They will have a Geriatrics Internal Medicine clinic. I go there and see specially trained Nurse Practitioners who check in with the attending M.D.s. I think it is the best setup for senior health.

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lkw0311 | @lkw0311 | Feb 23 8:40am
In reply to @gravity3 "Went to my PCP last week. New sign in his exam room about patients keeping their..." + (show)
@gravity3

Went to my PCP last week. New sign in his exam room about patients keeping their issues to two during a visit!

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Was that at Mayo?

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2 replies
raebaby | @raebaby | Feb 23 1:11pm

When my husband with Parkinson's was treated horribly by his neurologist, I went directly to the insurance company advocate and complained about him. He was then referred to a specialist who was excellent. When It came my turn to need a neurologist I contacted the advocate and said that I would see anyone except the creepy neurologist my husband originally had, they gave me a good one.

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topcatssmiss | @topcatssmiss | Feb 24 12:05pm

We have a similar problem finding good care.My husband had a TBI with alot of hemmorage and he was kicked out of ICU after 3 days!Over the last 10 plus years it's been the same.Uncaring professionals giving biased care.

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vivi75 | @vivi75 | Feb 24 2:19pm

Have you noticed that "women of a certain age" become invisible to people and the world around us?! It's very frustrating and it just makes you want to yell, "HEY - I'm here! Talk to me as a person!" My primary care physician recently retired and just assumed his patients would stay with the practice and continue on with the doctors who are left. While the few I have met in passing seem nice, I don't feel that I've made a connection with any of them. It is so irritating to be ignored and not listened to.

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kayraymat | @kayraymat | Feb 25 10:25am

Amen to that! I am short, old & a woman, so I have to work on being
paid attention to. Have a list when you go in. Also look up the doctor's
education & background so you can find ways to connect to him
or her. Find a female if you think that would help. Good luck
& someone famous once said, " good luck is a matter of preparation"
Amen to that. K

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kb2014 | @kb2014 | Feb 25 1:50pm
In reply to @bebold "Same for parents. The nursing home literally killed him. Literally. And agism is real. I turned..." + (show)
@bebold

Same for parents. The nursing home literally killed him. Literally. And agism is real. I turned 70 last week. And having been disabled since I was 24, im totally afraid of SSA getting D/C'd. But I won't be the only elderly person living on the street. And the doctors who mostly practice replacing joints on the elderly will also no longer be employed. Such shortsightedness. Without medicare and the ACA, I wonder if even Mayo would remain standing. Fear on top of all of it is unfair and also top down ageism and ableism. Sorry but at some point we need to be able to talk about this defining moment.

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I am 64. Afraid like you we will lose social security medicare. I am on SSDI. Will be 65 in October. I switched to origional medicare on Jan.1 medicare advantage a nightmare. That is understating it. I filed so many complaints about them with medicare. They sabotaged themselves I prefer female providers too..

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