Gray days ahead: Caring for an aging America

By 2030, 70 million Americans will be senior citizens. Medical students and practicing physicians alike are preparing to treat this growing population.

By Damon Adams, AMNews staff. Feb. 10, 2003.

As part of her medical education, Anna Witt attends art lectures and eats pizza with a couple of old friends. When the first-year med student plays flag football, M. Michael Kraff, PhD, and Pat Kraff can be found on the sidelines, cheering her on.

"They dress up in red [the team's color], bring their lawn chairs and cheer. I love it," said Witt, 23, who attends the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine. The school introduced her to the Kraffs, senior citizens who live in the community.

By teaming medical students with seniors, medical schools are preparing them to treat a graying population. Across the country, more than 40 schools have embraced such partnerships to help students relate to seniors, understand their health issues and learn from their health care experiences. Students often are encouraged to see the seniors in social settings. Witt hasn't chosen a specialty yet, but she realizes she likely will treat some older patients. She knows they will need care for age-related ailments such as Alzheimer's disease and dementia.

Interacting with the Kraffs has helped Witt learn to communicate and relate better with seniors.

"I see that as something that I could do well," Kraff said. "That's in my mind as I shape ideas about my practice. It would be interesting to have a diverse patient base, working with the young and old."

In 2030, the number of people who are 65 or older will be 70 million, double what it was in 2000, according to the Gerontological Society of America. That means one in five Americans will be 65 or older, the society said.