Jaak Aru is a cardiologist and medical scientist. He says that the Estonian healthcare system should be more efficient. Aru believes that we need more geriatric departments. Geriatrics helps elderly people live better and reduces the burden on the social system.
Aru also talked about dignified aging. He pondered how people could live happily in old age. He also mentioned the use of artificial intelligence in medicine, which could ease doctors' work.
Jaak Aru has worked both in Estonia and Germany. He says that among specialists, there are many people who don't know enough. An expert must have evidence-based knowledge about people.
Estonian society is aging. Fewer young people are being born. Aru wonders whether older people should work longer. He says that a ballet dancer doesn't dance ballet at 65, but a scientist can work even at an older age.
Aru believes that older people shouldn't be called 'vanur' (elderly), but 'senior adult'. He says that people understand when they no longer want to do hard work. For example, he talked about a surgeon who quit his job the day he felt he could no longer do it.
Jaak Aru thinks that society doesn't treat older people well enough. He mentions ageism, which means bias related to age. He says that ageism is even stronger in Estonia than in Germany.
Jaak Aru also talks about driving in old age. He says that if a person is an experienced driver, they aren't worse at 75 than at 65. Aru believes that people should decide for themselves whether they are good enough to drive.
Jaak Aru also discusses geriatrics. He says that Estonia doesn't have enough geriatric departments. These departments would help older people live better and reduce the burden on the social system. Aru believes that geriatrics isn't just a nursing home but helps people live independently.
He emphasizes that people don't go to geriatrics to lie down but to learn to take care of themselves. Geriatrics helps people restore their abilities and maintain their social status.
Jaak Aru says that the Estonian healthcare system doesn't need more concrete. We need more people and better services. We still have a lot to do to make medicine more efficient and improve the lives of older people.