Geriatric medicine: a brief history

摘要

Old age has always been with us—average lifespan is increasing but maximum lifespan is the same. Geriatrics—an American invented the word, the English invented the specialty. Early geriatric practice set standards throughout the NHS. With the aging of the population, geriatricians should be in the front line of the hospital service. 50 years on, the specialty is strong but its research needs attention.