The Participants and Their Demographics

The study included a diverse group of stakeholders, all of whom shared crucial experiences impacting geriatric care. Of the participants, 19% were patients, 11% caregivers, 11% geriatricians not in admin roles, 37% health administrators (both geriatricians and non-geriatricians), and 22% referring physicians. With a mean age of 53, the group was predominantly educated, with 96% holding postsecondary degrees, and nearly half identifying as female.

Main Themes Identified

A Deteriorating Healthcare System for Seniors

The study highlighted a universally acknowledged problem: excessively long wait times for appointments with geriatricians, leading to feelings of helplessness among both patients and healthcare providers. The chronic under-resourcing of geriatric services and prevailing ageism in policy decisions severely impact care quality. It was revealed that cost-saving measures often take precedence over necessary geriatric services, resulting in delayed and inadequate treatment.

Conflicting Perceptions of Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA)