Healthier People, Healthier Organizations
Geriatric Care—It's Not Just About Helping “Old People”
by Dr. Barney Spivack, LifeCare Medical Director

At what age is someone considered old? When is it acceptable to raise the issue of geriatrics to them? When should you begin talking with them about healthy aging?

If you're like most employers, these questions are increasingly crucial. After all, just as our population as a whole is composed of a higher proportion of older adults, half of the American workforce is now age 40 or older and this brings inescapable and far-reaching organizational challenges. Although we typically associate 65 as a defining point in the aging process, most professionals in geriatric medicine now consider individuals over the age of 75 as “older.” So, does this mean that educating your employees about geriatrics and healthy aging should be deferred until they're nearing retirement? Obviously not.

As the rapidly expanding science of geriatric medicine has shown, the earlier in life we take action the more effectively we can prevent and proactively manage the problems and diseases that may be associated with aging. In other words, the focus on geriatrics should begin long before the “Welcome to Medicare” packet arrives. And this presents a real opportunity for employers: your workers need to have a steady and well-informed focus on health throughout their lives to achieve and maintain optimal health as they get older. The more you serve as a source of knowledge, education and support, the more satisfied, loyal and productive they'll be—and the less they'll cost you in terms of healthcare expenditures.

The healthcare savings alone can be tremendous. A 2007 study by First Consulting Group concluded that more than 37 million Baby Boomers (that's 60% of all Boomers) will be managing more than one chronic condition by the year 2030. Also by that year, 25% will be living with diabetes, almost half will live with arthritis, and more than a third will be considered obese. Left unchecked, chronic diseases (including cardiovascular disease, lung disease, musculoskeletal disease, dementia and diabetes mellitus, among others) will cost your organization thousands of dollars per individual, per year. Clearly, then, redoubling our efforts to heighten employees' awareness of modifiable risks is well worth the effort.

Fortunately, employees actually want you to give them health-related guidance and support tools; over 80% of employees recently polled say they would definitely take advantage of employer-sponsored health and wellness programs. (See the article, Employees Say “Yes” to Employer-Sponsored Health & Wellness Programs, in the Work/Life Trends section of this newsletter.) I also think it's important to note that your efforts to improve the quality of your employees' lives can often extend to their family members as well, particularly their children. Your employees will become living examples of how to make healthy lifestyle choices. In a very real sense, you're helping to secure the health of future generations of workers, which will pay you dividends in the years to come.

Aging isn't something that begins late in life. It's a continuum that spans our entire lives. Through example and with continued support, your employees can begin to understand this and learn the essential steps they can take to achieve long-term health benefits. You can help them begin to make this shift in thinking and lifestyle choices by hosting health fairs, offering educational materials (from your work/life, EAP and medical providers), offering healthier food choices in your cafeteria and vending machines, etc. You can also look to expert organization such as The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (www.cdc.gov), which have established “Healthy People Goals” to call attention to the need to maintain a lifelong view in preventing burdensome chronic disease. I encourage you to check out the CDC's goals and learn how to adapt them to your organization's internal wellness efforts.

You can also go beyond these initial steps by working with your work/life provider to deliver customized health coaching, for example, and self-managed health programs. These types of supports often bring about better results than standard disease management programs.

Geriatrics isn't just about helping “old people.” It's about helping ourselves at every stage of life.

I want to address the topics that are most important to you in this column—and the best way to do that is with your input! So please feel free to email me (bspivack@lifecare.com) with questions, success stories or comments. I look forward to hearing from you.

Dr. Barney Spivack's medical career spans more than 25 years, with a focus on the care of older adults, chronic disease, and long-term care. Prior to joining LifeCare, he was the Director of Medical Services at Waveny Care Network in New Canaan, Connecticut. Before that, he was Director of Geriatric Medicine at Norwalk and Stamford Hospitals. Dr. Spivack also is active in the American Medical Directors Association and is President of the Connecticut Geriatrics Society.