Age is only a number, right? |
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As lifespans increase, many people work much longer than the traditional retirement age of 65; some remain on their jobs into their 80s and beyond. However, aging is associated with significant changes to the body; hearing, eyesight, cognitive functioning and stamina are all affected, even with the healthiest senior. Airline pilots are required to retire from the cockpit at age 65 and all pilots over 40 must undergo a medical evaluation every six months. Should physicians continue to practice into their golden years? Currently 40% of US MDs are older than 55; 21% are older than 65. One strategy would be to assess physicians and other medical professionals after they reach a certain age, although there is no agreement on what age that should be. At UC San Diego, an evaluation program called PACE is used to evaluate their professionals; the founding director of the program estimates >8000 MDs in the US are currently practicing with dementia.
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