Medical care for older people –what evidence do we need?
That people of any age should receive the best possible medical care is something that should be considered as an accepted fact, both socially and politically. It can also be stated that the existing high level of medical care in Germany has made a substantial contribution to the considerable increase in life expectancy over recent decades. But a closer look at the medical care situation for elderly people and considering their specific needs reveals a whole series of problematic deficits.
The participating academies, i.e. the National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, acatech – the German Academy of Technical Sciences, and the Union of German Academies of Science and Humanities, hope to contribute with this report to the necessary discussion about better medical care for older people. A discussion that should begin as soon as possible, particularly in the light of demographic change.