Slow Medicine

There are times I wonder what it must feel like to be 85. Most of those times are when I take my mother on errands or when we take our 1 mile walk around the neighborhood.

Mother has begun using a cane some. I wish she would use it all the time, but she feels self conscious about it. She has a knee disfigured from arthritis and every once in a while, it gives out and she catches herself before she goes down. Any time we walk without the cane, I walk arm in arm with her. It's reassuring for her and I naturally slow down to accommodate her gait.

Slowing down is something we should all remember when dealing with seniors. I read an article online in the New York Times health section recently that talked of a book written by a doctor with his own mother in mind . The book called My Mother Your Mother embraces "slow medicine" as Dr. McCollough calls it. Dr. McCollough is a geriatrician and has several good ideas on the compassionate approach to caring for the elderly. Check it out and let me know your thoughts.