For over 40 years, I’ve worked as a geriatrician, a doctor whose patients are all older adults, many of them in their 80s.
While factors like blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar levels or weight are important markers of health, they are only one part of the picture as you get older. In geriatric medicine, we take a broader view using a framework called the “5 Ms”: what matters most, mind, mobility, medications and multicomplexity.
That last one is especially key, and takes into account how our health and well-being are impacted by what is happening with us not just medically, but financially, socially and emotionally, too.
I always tell my patients aging is about transition. How you navigate these life changes and the attitude you have about them are the biggest indicators of whether you’ll have an enjoyable, engaged and meaningful later life
This is what I do every day to feel better and live longer.
