Doctors biased against older patients

[AB Asks]

New research suggests doctors are biased against older patients. 72 fictional patients were given to a number of doctors all with heart problems and it found that older people were less likely to be referred to a cardiologist or given exercise tests compared to middle aged people.

Have you or do you know anyone who has experienced an ageist attitude from doctors? Do think this study is true; are doctors less willing to treat older people purely because of their age?

[Theland]

Oh sod them! I'm past worrying!

[kwicky]

My wife rolled on the floor with agony and lost a terrific amount of blood from her intestines. The doctor was called and subsequently an appointment was made with a diagnostic clinic where they poke a camera up your backside. This took 8 weeks for an appointment! She was diagnosed with diverticulitus and told to change her diet. When she visited her GP for the consultation and complaining about the stomach pain she was told 'get a life'. No wonder people are opting for private treatment.

[naomi24]

Yes, I do think doctors are less willing to treat the elderly because the NHS feel they cost too much money - and money is what it's all about now.

[jenstar]

"72 fictional patients"? So actually, the doctors were right not to refer them to a cardiologist because they were making it up!

[stokeace]

now i have a theory that somewhere in the heart of the government that there is someone,somewhere is stopping the scientists discovering a real cure for cancer and many other killer diseases after all they dont want millions of us alive much after 80 do they?it would cost them too much in stste pensions and the like.call me cynical if you wish its just a thought.

[tigerlily11]

Its a scary to think what we might have to look forward to in our old age isn't it.

[angeldraws]

I think that GPs/doctors are less willing to treat older people purely because of their age. A colleague at work has had no end of problems this week trying to get help for his 80+ yr old mum and has come up against insulting paramedics/ambulance persons, arrogant doctors and incompetent staff right thru' the system......all he wants is to get his mum the help she deserves and this is AFTER the recent introduction of a new 'ageist' policy in our area, promising to take good care of elderly relatives? It is disgusting. Ok so noone is gonna live forever and the world would be very overcorowded if we could save everyone but after all we are all human and deserve dignity and respect. I have no faith in the system whatsoever.

[curiosity]

The problem the NHS have is that there is only so much money, and now with lots of treatments available for a variety of life threatening or even lifestyle changing illnesses they have to decide where it goes, anyone with any problem no matter how big or small, if there is something that is going to help then they will ask for it. I think age may come into it when they are deciding where to spend the money, but only to save someone with more life to have.

[sandbach99]

When the NHS was founded people were told that they would be cared for from the cradle to the grave, no-one was told that they would receive an inferior service as they grew older.

There is a lack of money but a lot of money is wasted on pen-pushers fiddling the statistics for the government. Go to any public NHS meeting and hear the NHS lies being disproved by members of the public.

The NHS workforce is predominately young, therefore 60 is old, 70 aged, 80 ancient and 90 or over prehistoric but what the workforce forget is that they will, hopefully, reach these ages and be refused treatment, will they accept that ? NO they will howl with protest just like the older people today.

[kwicky]

Does that mean the D.N.R (ie do not resucitate) is put at the end of the bed of an elderly patient in hospital. When Labour came to power they said this practice would be outlawed.