Caring for our seniors is possibly the greatest responsibility we have. Those who have walked before us have given so much and made possible the life we all enjoy.”1 The SGIM Forum editorial team in conjunction with our Special Guest Editors bring this theme issue on geriatric care to SGIM members to improve the care of our older patients, a task that includes initiative and advocacy. Eventually, most of us will need a caring and empathetic healthcare provider to negotiate the healthcare system and promote our health and well-being as we age. The articles within this theme issue will assist us in becoming more aware of current healthcare topics.
In this theme issue, we explore the concept of Age Friendly Health Care, as well as its application in different clinical care settings and health systems. We also address key geriatric care topics pertinent to all clinicians who provide medical care for older adults including kidney disease in aging, deprescribing, screening and management of dementia with additional focus on new dementia treatments and their associated controversies. These first steps can move us towards what the John A. Hartford Foundation calls “patient priorities care”—promoting reduction of medications and unnecessary diagnostic testing and improvement of appreciation by patients and clinicians for attention to goals, reduced care burden, and improved quality of life.
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