‘Growing old with declining health’ (July 24) is a timely reminder about senior citizens’ health issues that have remained unaddressed in countries with a poor social and health cover.

Geriatrics medicine progressing exponentially in advanced countries is taking care of such an important issue which will globally snowball in size. What paediatrics is to birth and early life, geriatrics is to pre-frail, frail and end of life, as the origin and final points in the spectrum of human wellness objectives.

As we grow old it is not the longevity but the quality of life that is of paramount importance. Geriatrics medicine focuses on the same as a bridge across all other specialities in medicine.

Harvard Senior Health is one of the leading efforts in this direction and provides robust templates to replicate the same elsewhere. Pakistan could do well to consider the same.

Zia Hashmi

Dubai

Published in Dawn, July 27th, 2016