Geriatrics & Gerontological Nursing

The General Medical Council guides undergraduate medical education in the United Kingdom (General Medical Council 2009). However, there is some variation between medical schools including, for example, between the social science modules relevant to Social Gerontology. This includes Psychology, Sociology and Social Policy. We believe there is a strong case for the universal inclusion of Social Gerontology in the training of tomorrow’s doctors. There has been a well-known shift to a population with increased numbers of older people and most doctors will have this group amongst their patients who will have heterogeneous living arrangements and social backgrounds. Patients must be viewed holistically given the non-clinical factors influencing health and well-being. Consideration of psychological factors such as resilience and health seeking behaviours in older age is of paramount importance. Delivering personalised care requires an awareness of the coping strategies increasingly used in later life, for example, by older people who have disabilities or who are widowed. The sociology of later life is warranted by the augmented risk of social exclusion, loneliness and poverty. These sociological issues, amongst others, affect the provision of care. Doctors are becoming increasingly influential at local, regional and national levels of decision-making. This places added importance on understanding social policy at an undergraduate level.

Medical schools should incorporate Social Gerontology into their curricula, to equip medical students with the knowledge and skills to care for our ageing population. This presentation will draw on the literature and the personal experience of the authors.