A trip down memory lane: 37 years of Geriatric Therapeutics

Abstract

It is with great pleasure and pride that I introduce this reprint of Rohan Elliott and Michael Woodward's article, ‘Thirty years of Geriatric Therapeutics’, originally published in 2016.¹ As a founding member of the Geriatric Therapeutics Editorial Committee in 1986, reading this article feels like a nostalgic stroll down memory lane, to a time where knowledge of the impact of ageing on medication safety was limited, and we were innocently oblivious to the impending explosion of information and therapeutic advances that lay ahead.

Driven by altruistic ambition, in 1986 the pharmacy department at Melbourne's Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital (‘the Repat’) embarked on an educational mission to improve prescribing for our ageing war veteran population. Our aim was to raise prescribers' awareness of the fact that older individuals handle medications differently, and respond differently, compared to their younger counterparts. To achieve this aim, we approached consultant physicians at the Repat, requesting them to write an article within their specialty, with a focus on treating older people. By doing so, we aimed to deepen their understanding of the complexities associated with elderly patients. We hoped that this subtle approach would enhance the consultant's knowledge, while also educating a broader clinical readership.

Fortunately, the newly appointed director of geriatrics at the Repat, Dr David Fonda, enthusiastically agreed to join our small editorial team. It was his task to approach the consultants and encourage their contributions to the newsletter. We had no reservations about leveraging our greatest asset: it was indeed challenging for authors to decline David's requests. Each Geriatric Therapeutics article was published in the pharmacy's monthly newsletter, which was distributed across all clinical areas within the hospital.

The enduring interest in our articles persisted over the ensuing years and was further bolstered by the addition of geriatrician Dr Michael Woodward to the editorial team. The column's professionalism received a significant boost when this Journal agreed to publish our articles from 1991, leading to an expanded distribution. With Michael at the helm of the editorial committee, and articles published in the Journal, authors were able to be recruited beyond the initial primary targets at the Repat hospital, and over the years leading physicians from throughout Australia contributed articles. As clinical pharmacy practice developed and matured, pharmacists with expertise in the care of older people were also invited to contribute articles.

The Geriatric Therapeutics series (more recently known as Geriatric Therapeutics Review) also owes much to the dedication and unparalleled commitment of Rohan Elliott, who joined the editorial committee in 1999 and became the editor in 2014. Without his input, Geriatric Therapeutics Review would not have achieved a remarkable 37 years of publication. Not bad for a series that started out as a small in-house publication at the Repat Hospital.

Over the years the Geriatric Therapeutics Review series adeptly kept pace with the deluge of information that emerged as the field of geriatric medicine and aged care blossomed. I commend all those interested in therapeutics and aged care to read Rohan and Michael's comprehensive article, which chronicles the first 30 years of Geriatric Therapeutics. Over this period, many new medications, and new ways of using older medications, emerged, illustrating the need for constant knowledge refreshment. Today, physicians and pharmacists have much greater awareness and knowledge of medication management in older people. I sincerely thank Rohan, Michael, David and many others for their sustained commitment to the cause and bid a fond farewell to Geriatric Therapeutics Review — a job very well done, mission accomplished.

The author declares she has no conflicts of interest.

This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.