Last week's Indiana Geriatric Society's Fall Conference was a terrific meeting.  Special thanks go to the speakers, the current Presidents Drs. Diane and Pat Healey, and conference organizer Kathy Frank and her team of volunteers for carrying off a great program. 

I wanted to share a few thoughts from the conference.  We are facing a serious problem in our Heath System.  The growing population of seniors, their expected longevity, and the small number of health care professionals entering geriatrics or even primary care make for an alarming future.  Health care providers simply won't be able to keep up.

This means that families will need help with aging parents.  That help will come from caregivers.  Most will be family members and some will be professionals such as Geriatric Care Managers, companions, and other eldercare service providers.

These caregivers (especially the family members) need more tools, more resources, and more expertise.  Most will not be trained health professionals and many will be caring for an senior for the first time.