Geriatrics and the Limits of Modern Medicine

Like a number of geriatricians, I have come to believe that modern medicine does not work well for old people. Old patients serve as a mirror, reflecting the limitations and sometimes the absurdities of modern medicine. There are three areas that are particularly problematic for old people: the medicalization of everyday life, the primacy of diagnosis, and reimbursement for medical care.The Medicalization of Everyday LifeIn Medical Nemesis, Ivan Illich argued that medicine has expanded into almost all aspects of human existence.1 All cultural and personal aspects of the struggles of life — growing up, raising children, and dealing . . .