My Elder Advocate

The Geriatrician Shortage: Who will care for our seniors?

A sweeping change is occurring at the basic structure of our society. We once were proud of the fact that we had a culture of caring for the aged. But the scenario is slowly moving towards growing neglect and isolation of elders on the one hand and lack of capacity and will of the government to reach out to them on the other.

Last week, Beth Israel Hospital in New Jersey, all but decimated it's geriatric department. Employees were unceremoniously terminated without any notice going out to the hundreds of elderly patients, advising them to make other arrangements. Not that these elderly really have other choices. Beth Israel serves a huge population of indigent elderly.

Theresa Redling, Beth Israel's Chief of Geriatrics, said she received her notice Wednesday. Ms. Redling, who also served as Hospice Medical Director at Beth Israel, was awarded the 2008 Humanism in Healthcare Award. This honor is bestowed, by The Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey, on individuals in the trenches of patient care who have consistently demonstrated the principles of caring and compassion in their work in hospitals and in nursing education programs in the Essex, Union and Morris region served by The Foundation.

"I think this will be devastating to the senior community that Beth Israel serves," Redling said.

Evicting The Elderly

Moving a parent or sibling into a nursing home is emotionally and financially difficult. Keeping them there may be getting even harder. The Wall Street Journal reports that increasing numbers of frail and sick residents are being forced out of nursing homes across the country. In some cases, they're asked to leave because they are difficult or expensive to care for. It violates federal law for a nursing home to evict residents for those reasons.

Brooklyn District Attorney Charles "Joe" Hynes: Champion of the Elderly

By Jack Halpern

Senior Umbrella Network of Brooklyn (SUN-B) Honors Charles Hynes:

On June 22, 2007, at a luncheon being held at Kingsborough Community College, The Senior Umbrella Network of Brooklyn will honor a great and noble champion of the elderly for his efforts on behalf of Seniors in Brooklyn.

This writer sits on the Board of Directors at SUN-B as Communications Chair.

By Jack Halpern

Senior Umbrella Network of Brooklyn (SUN-B) Honors Charles Hynes:

On June 22, 2007, at a luncheon being held at Kingsborough Community College, The Senior Umbrella Network of Brooklyn will honor a great and noble champion of the elderly for his efforts on behalf of Seniors in Brooklyn.

This writer sits on the Board of Directors at SUN-B as Communications Chair.