[The empowerment of the elderly patient in interaction with the geriatric physician]

Previous studies have shown that there has been an increase in the empowerment of different groups of patients in their contact with physicians and nurses. However, no research to date has specifically focussed on the empowerment of elderly patients from the geriatrician's perspective . Research in this area is important in view of the rise in the ageing population, as elderly patients more frequently come into contact with physicians and more patient participation is required in care through processess such as 'shared decision making' and 'informed consent'. Through interviews with geriatricians from hospitals, this study attempted to gain insights into empowerment of elderly patients in consultations with geriatric physicians. Results show that there is a large degree of variation in empowerment among patients. The main factors that hinder or promote empowerment are the patients' cognitive state, their medical knowledge and educational level. Family and caregivers also appear to play a large role in the empowerment that elderly patients show in the physician's office. Three forms of active communication (asking questians, giving opinions, and expressing concerns) are the predominant manifestations of empowerment in elderly patients. Geriatricians unanimously agreed that empowerment influences the communication and relationship between the physician and the patient and also impacts decision making. Empowerment usually leads to greater therapy adherence and to more extensive patient examinations.