A Bitter Pill: How the Medical System is Failing the Elderly

Dr. John Sloan
Greystone Books
“Modern medical treatment of elderly people is not working,” says Dr. John Sloan. A geriatrician with 20 years experience, Dr. John Sloan explains how the current health care system is actually a threat to our elderly in his book A Bitter Pill. As baby boomers grow older, health care for the elderly has become an increasing concern. Dr. Sloan examines why medical treatment—from modern medicine’s one-size-fits-all prevention strategy to hospital stays that don’t benefit anyone—is failing them. As a result of his studies and experiences from house calls to geriatric units and nursing homes, teaching medical students and family practice residents, Sloan argues that we must understand what people in poor health at the end of their lives really need: comfort, dignity, and
quality of life. Advocating a shift from invasive treatment and hospitalization to palliative care, Dr. Sloan provides clear solutions to a problematic system.