Older people are undertreated as much as they are overtreated

doi:10.1136/bmj.b1200

Published 23 March 2009, doi:10.1136/bmj.b1200
Cite this as: BMJ 2009;338:b1200

Letters

Turning old age into a disease?

Older people are undertreated as much as they are overtreated

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

As a geriatrician, I see daily the iatrogenic effects of overtreatmentof older patients that is partly driven by a box ticking, targetoriented culture.¹ People are taking drugs they no longer needor may never have needed or that haven’t been meaningfullyreviewed for some time, despite the quality and outcomes framework.

However, common, serious, and debilitating conditions largelyaffecting older people tend to be under-recognised and poorlymanaged while services and research tend to be underfunded andeducation and training of professionals inadequate. In hospitalsolder patients with legitimate and treatable medical problems(often manifesting with loss of physical function or impairedcognition) are written off as "social" or "acopia."

Although ageing should not be routinely medicalised, dangerlies in having treatable problems in older people "socialised."Patients over 65 already account for around 70% of bed daysin NHS hospitals, but priorities and values have yet to . . . [Full text of this article]

David Oliver, senior lecturer, geriatric medicine¹

¹ University of Reading, School of Health and Social Care, Reading RG6 1HY

d.oliver@reading.ac.uk