Navigating the Complexities of Geriatric Healthcare

Dear Readers,

Over the past decade, we’ve witnessed groundbreaking changes in the medical field, with Indian doctors and experts contributing significantly to global advancements. Double Helical, a comprehensive national health magazine, serves as a platform to acknowledge innovations, individuals, products, and services transforming India’s healthcare sector, paving the way for affordable, high-quality, and inclusive healthcare. We are committed to societal betterment, continuing our mission by raising awareness and making voluntary contributions in education, health, human rights, and social services.

In this issue, we highlight the present scenario of hearing loss titled “Overcoming Barriers” as a special story. Education for children with hearing impairment in India has a history spanning just over a hundred years. Following independence, notable advancements occurred, including the establishment of numerous new schools in the 1950s, along with the emergence of various programs leveraging new technologies in the 1960s. During this period, the All-India Institute of Speech and Hearing was founded in Mysore, providing facilities for diagnosing hearing impairment in infants and young children. Presently, the country boasts over 500 schools catering to hearing-impaired children, with some administered by the government and others operated by NGOs. Many of these schools, predominantly residential, admit children aged five years and older, who typically reside in hostels throughout the school year, returning home only during summer vacations. Additionally, the provision of vocational courses and sheltered workshops enables some students to spend a significant portion of their lives within these educational institutions.
Apart from this, we also focus on “Elder Care in India” in this issue. As we know, in our country, due to demographic transition, the elderly population is projected to rise to 12% of the total population by 2025. The elderly are a heterogeneous population with variations in morbidity across several variables such as gender, location, socioeconomic status, and diversity in culture and religion. At least 70% of India’s elderly live in rural areas, are illiterate, and economically dependent.

The elderly suffer from a dual burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases, in addition to impairments of special sensory functions such as vision and hearing, and other degenerative diseases. Additionally, the geriatric population is often on multiple therapies to treat several diseases, sometimes under the supervision of different specialists. This can lead to overlooked drug-drug interactions. Adherence to therapy is also a significant concern in this population, both due to several drugs being prescribed for various indications and due to failing memory or general neglect of health issues among the elderly by themselves and by their families.

It is the duty of all medical professionals and family members to provide due care, support, and financial stability to the group of people that raised them and empowered them to fulfil their lives. They must not forget that aging is natural and will be experienced by everyone. Dignity and the right to a healthy life are the least that society owes to its elderly. We should seek cost-effective, feasible models of geriatric care that are acceptable and based on our cultural practices and traditions.

In this issue, the cover story sheds light on Chronic Pain. This exploration underscores the imperative for holistic approaches to chronic pain management, recognising the interconnectedness of physical, psychological, social, and spiritual facets of pain. Through a better understanding of chronic pain and advancements in medical and psychosocial therapeutic methods, the story advocates for a paradigm shift in chronic pain management towards achieving improved patient outcomes and enhanced quality of life.

This issue also carries an exclusive interview with Dr RV Asokan, the newly appointed National President of the Indian Medical Association (IMA). With a resolute belief that “Healthcare is a Human Right,” Dr Asokan unveils the Health Manifesto—a groundbreaking initiative aimed at addressing the rising health challenges facing India today. His unwavering dedication to advancing medical practices and policies resonates throughout the interview, emphasising the urgent need for equitable, accessible, and affordable healthcare for all segments of society. As the voice of over 367,774 doctors, Dr Asokan’s manifesto not only acknowledges the strides made in healthcare but also delineates key deficiencies in current health policies, proposing actionable solutions to navigate these complex issues. This manifesto, born out of extensive consultations and frontline healthcare workers’ experiences, guides policymakers towards a future where quality healthcare is a fundamental right for every citizen.

Like these, the current issue is packed with many more interesting and thought-provoking stories. Happy reading!

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Thanks and regards

Amresh K Tiwary,
Editor-in-Chief