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The cardinal goals of geriatric care are to improve quality of life and functional ability.
Ideally, I want my patients, and all older people, to live a healthy, happy, and active life until their time has come, and then simply walk off a metaphorical cliff. By the nods I get when describing this goal, that’s what most people want too.
Mrs. E., in her mid 80’s, first came to me after expressing concern on the phone about osteoporosis and possible dementia.
At her first visit, I asked my usual open-ended question to new patients. “What three things do you wish you had at this point in your life, besides medication you may have seen on TV and a lot of money?”
She mentioned neither thinning of the bones or memory issues, but did not hesitate to tell me three other things.
“My husband passed away several years ago and I really miss the male companionship.”
“I live alone and there’s really no one to have a good conversation with.”
“Most of all, I just want someone to give me a big hug.”
Turns out that when she first walked into my office, my first impression was that she was depressed. Instead of simply prescribing an antidepressant and sending her on her way, I suggested she borrow my copy of Chicken Soup For the Soul, which I had just finished reading.
For the male companionship issue, I told her I would keep an eye out for other patients of mine that might make a good match. She laughed.
Each time she came in, I offered to set aside time just to chat about whatever was on her mind.
As she left, I gave her the requisite prescriptions for blood tests to check whether there was something medically going on that was causing her to feel the way she did. I also gave her a big hug, and grabbed nurses and other doctors in my office to give her a big hug too.
Mrs. E. came back for her scheduled follow-up about a month later. As I suspected, all her labs came back normal. And she didn’t look depressed this time.
She told me: “You know, Doc, when I left your office last month, I felt like I was on Cloud Nine.”
She did well for many years thereafter, enjoying the enhanced function and improved quality of life that came with treating an injured spirit.