Geriatrics Congress

“Meeting older people at eye level.”

Growing old healthily doesn't just start at an advanced age. Experts are calling for medical care to pay more attention to this in future.

(Bild: alonaphoto/stock.adobe.com)

In Austria, 1.8 million people are aged 65 or over. According to estimates, this figure is set to double by 2050. The unanimous tenor of the experts at a congress in Vienna: "Prevention of age-related diseases must begin in middle age at the latest!"

From the age of 75, one in three people have difficulty seeing despite wearing glasses and have hearing and comprehension deficits despite hearing aids. Almost one in two people suffer from memory problems and/or problems walking on level ground. However, all of these limitations start much earlier and could be prevented to a large extent, at least in part, with targeted care. This was confirmed by experts at a press conference on the occasion of the Geriatrics/Gerontology Congress, which will be held at MedUni Vienna from April 4-6 and aims to present modern age-specific therapies, prevention programs and future prospects for older people.

No specialist in geriatrics

"It is often difficult for geriatric patients and their relatives to receive appropriate medical care quickly. Although acute geriatrics and remobilization are being expanded throughout Austria - there are now over 50 locations with a total of around 2,200 beds in almost all federal states - we still do not have a specialist for this important area," reports Prof. Dr. Bernhard Iglseder (Salzburg), President of the Austrian Society for Geriatrics and Gerontology (ÖGGG) at a press conference.

From left: Congress President Univ.-Prof.in Dr. Regina Roller-Wirnsberger (Graz), Prof. Dr. Giovanni Maio, M.A. (Freiburg) via video, Univ.-Prof. Dr. Bernhard Iglseder (Salzburg), President of the Austrian Society for Geriatrics and Gerontology

(Bild: APA-Fotoservice/Juhasz)

"When older people become multimorbid and frail, they have a high risk of experiencing limitations in vision, hearing, mobility, memory or malnutrition. The latter in particular increases complication rates and worsens recovery rates. Social withdrawal threatens independence - but autonomy is the greatest asset we have as human beings. This results in a complexity for which our healthcare system is not optimally equipped."

The ÖGGG also criticizes the fact that Austria is one of the few European countries in which geriatrics is not a separate subject, but only a specialization with two years of additional training. We currently only have two teaching positions for students at medical universities in the country. Young doctors are only very occasionally confronted with the important topic of geriatric medicine. According to Iglseder, this completely misses the need.

Social withdrawal threatens independence - but autonomy is the greatest asset we have as human beings.

Prim. Univ.-Prof. Dr. Bernhard Iglseder, Universitätsklinik für Geriatrie, Christian-Doppler-Klinik

Bild: privat

Congress President Univ.-Prof.in Dr. Regina Roller-Wirnsberger (Graz), emphasized: "A current problem is the fragmented healthcare system, because there is no continuous therapy target tracking for old people. Multiple chronic illnesses, above all cardiac insufficiency, respiratory diseases and rheumatism, have a severe impact on everyday life. Geriatrics has the instrument to comprehensively assess the needs of patients and to treat them accordingly (geriatric assessment). This is only possible with the involvement of different professional groups. An entire team then develops an individual therapy goal at eye level."

Start prevention early

Preventative measures against age-related complaints should begin in middle age and be accessible to everyone, the specialist association demands. This includes programs to reduce the risk of falls and dementia, comprehensive, integrated care, inpatient services, day clinics, etc. to prevent hospitalization and to quickly return to everyday life afterwards.

The congress has the subtitle: "Not a question of age". Why?

"It's about taking a preventative approach across all phases of life. To create equal opportunities and fairness for our older fellow citizens. But also to find answers as to what we can do to avoid needing care so quickly and for so long at the end of life - also in view of the shortage of staff in the care sector. It is currently a bit of a gamble whether you get a place in acute geriatrics - many patients are sent home again after a stay in hospital. The specialist society is campaigning for an improvement here," says Roller-Wirnsberger.

Medicine has the task of taking a close look

Prof. Dr. Giovanni Maio, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Germany, joined the press conference in Vienna via video: "Geriatrics should actually be a role model for the whole of medicine, because all disciplines are involved. There is no such thing as THE old person, only the diversity of people with the most diverse problems. These cannot be broken down into simple categories, which cannot even be found in the textbook. Not only because of the many clinical pictures, but also because of the life situation of the individual. This is where medicine has the task of taking a targeted approach. Geriatrics that does not also address the psychosocial situation of patients will not really be able to help. We need to bring the older generation back into the center of society."