Perspectives On Aging
Medical Care Yesterday and Today
For those of us who remember the good old days, it was almost a pleasure to get sick, unless you had a life-threatening illness.
The family doctor went to your bedside and your family pampered you. The family doctor was a friend, who was not only knowledgeable but also wise. He provided medical care according to the standards of the time, but he also provided support, hope and counseling. He was trusted and, together with the clergy, the most respected member of the community. He cared with equal zeal for the poor and the rich. His fees were affordable by all, and if you could not afford to pay, he still made you feel important and dignified. In other words, he was a hero. He was not rich; he didn’t care about money. He cared about the welfare of his patient above all. He treasured the love of his patients and friends more than money. Humanity was his thing. Prestige and the love of the community was his prize.
The person I have described was an endangered species a few years ago; now he is extinct. You cannot find him anymore.
The present-day physician has many more tools for healing and much more knowledge. Today he can and does save more lives than in the past, but — with a few exceptions — his humanity has much to be desired. He cares too much about money and about his free time and hobbies. He is a different specimen altogether. He doesn’t have as much wisdom as his old counterpart. He follows guidelines.
What a pity he cannot combine the wisdom and humanity of the past with the technology and knowledge of the present.
Dr. Carlos Muniz is a retired psychiatrist from Gainesville. He may be contacted through the editor at patricia@towerpublications.com.
