“Indeed, our medical system is built on ageism. When we are young, we don’t get treatments that could keep us healthy as we grow old. When we are old, we don’t get the treatments that are routinely used on the young.”
–David Sinclair, PhD, Lifespan, p. 274
I recently finished reading Lifespan by David Sinclair, PhD, one of the leaders in helping people live longer and better. He is a Professor of Genetics at Harvard University. He wrote the above in his excellent book LifeSpan, published a couple of years ago in 2019.
Dr. Sinclair is one of the most highly respected and sought after experts in the field of ageing and longevity. His book is excellent and provides the most current information available in the field of aging. Dr. Sinclair believes that aging should be approached as a “disease”, and treated accordingly. He is in the forefront on research into anti-aging biology and believes, based on current research and discoveries, that we will soon be naturally living well over 100 years.
I believe that medical treatment is certainly age related. Most people having heart attacks are older, even though all ages are susceptible. Most people with osteoporosis and arthritis are older.
But, the quote above is one of the only things I have come to disagree with in the entire book. I have written on ageism many times and look at ageism as a “construct” that we create in our own minds based on our perceptions of what goes on. It’s a function of what we see and how we treat it in our own minds.
I had heart valve replacement surgery 8 years ago. So I follow up with a Cardiologist annually. The majority of his patients, if his waiting room is an indication, are older people, mostly in their 60s and up. Most are men but I see a lot of women in his waiting room too. My wife is also a patient.
If he doesn’t treat me with the greatest of care, he is likely to lose me. That’s not good for his business. So he will go out of his way to make sure I get the most appropriate treatment.
When I tore a bicep tendon a few months ago, I went to a “walk in” clinic which is part of a local Orthopedic practice. There were not a lot of people in the waiting room, but of those that were, mostly were older and were there as a result of a fall. The younger people were there mostly as a result of a sports injury. Since that’s a large part of an Orthopedic Doctor’s business, they make sure to take good of us “older folks” because they want the follow up business that goes with it — more visits to their regular doctors and the Physical Therapy business that is often part of their practice.
I would suggest that a pediatrician doesn’t spend a lot of time with people in their sixties and up. I certainly don’t consider that ageism.
To the best of my knowledge, my Primary Care physician treats all his patients with the same care and courtesy.
Dr. Sinclair cites Dentists as culprits in the area of Medical Ageism. He said that his dentist was reluctant to “fix” some “tooth things” that apparently are caused by age. He said that he asked that they be fixed anyway and the dentist fixed them. No problem there that I can see.
One of my goals for SeniorFlow is to help eradicate ageism from our own minds. Yes, people of different ages are treated differently in different situations, and to some extent Dr. Sinclair may be right in some of his perceptions of what he calls ageism, but for the most part, I believe that most ageism is a response to perceived affronts.
By the way, the book is excellent and “eye opening”. The first part is a bit technical, Part Two is less technical and Part Three is easy and fun to read. Most libraries carry it, and of course, it’s available at bookstores and Amazon. I don’t get any sort of commission of book sales.
This has been a SeniorFlow Moment. Thank you for reading it.
