In this interview, veteran Geriatrician Jomarie Zeleznik, M.D. openly and sincerely talks about the practice of geriatric medicine.
We talk about what inspired her to pursue geriatric medicine, later to homebound persons, what it takes to pursue a geriatric specialty, and what keeps her in practice.
She also does not shy away from difficult topics, from the frustrations with long term managed care, with providing quality care to people in our current health system, the challenges faced by caretakers and family and her enlightening and profound view of what “end of life” truly means to her.
Her enthusiasm for her profession and her patients is palpable.
If you are caregiver, or have an older parent or are an older person yourself, this interview offers a wonderful overview to not only the practice of geriatric medicine but also to what everyone should know about aging and medical care.
If you’d like to learn more about Dr. Zeleznik’s practice, you can go to: https://www.comprehensivegeriatriccare.org
Thanks for having Doctor Zeleznik interviewed on your podcast here. She has been my mother’s physician since November of 2017. She has been invaluable in my mother’s care. As she says in the podcast, she will get back to you the same day. She will answer your e-mails in a timely fashion. I can’t say enough about what a good doctor Doctor Zeleznik is. It was good to hear Dr. Zeleznik’s views on the various topics covered here. Thank you and thanks to Dr. Zeleznik.
Thank you so very much Ms. Greenberg for taking the time to comment and for your kind words about the episode and Dr. Zeleznik. She is a doctor in the truest definition!
Excellent, informative interview. Dr. Zeleznik is top-notch. Her patients are very lucky to have her.
Thank you very much for taking the time to 1. Listen to the episode and 2. For the positive commentary. You are correct, her patients are very lucky to have her. Your words are appreciated.
I thoroughly enjoyed being interviewed by Veronica Escobar by which I mean I enjoyed being “in conversation” about subjects that we both feel passionately about. I was asked if I received the questions ahead of time and the answer is I only knew what I topics would be asked. This was truly a conversation with a colleague. I want to share a response from a listener who sent an email to me which read like a poem of reflection on being a caregiver for his mother. It has now been given poem structure and published on The CareGivers’ Project website. http://www.caregiversproject.org/reliving-reviewing/ This poem integrates the topics discussed in this podcast with very personal reflection of caring for a homebound mother.
Thank you Dr. Zeleznik, once again, for your time, expertise and compassion. And NO, you did not receive the questions beforehand. Many guests have tried- and failed- when asked. It was a true conversation between colleagues- and it came across as exactly that! I loved the poem.
Dr. Zeleznik is so right when she says how difficult, practically impossible, it is to find Geriatricians to make house calls for the elderly and infirmed. After making dozens of calls, I was at my wits end before I was referred to Dr. Zeleznik. Throughout my mother’s physical and cognitive decline, Dr. Zeleznik always spoke to my mother directly and compassionately. She reached out to the family, her home health aides and other medical specialists to broaden her understanding of my mother’s condition, especially when my mother was unable to do so. She was open to having a dialogue and exchange of opinion and was always available to return phone calls and emails expeditiously. I honestly don’t know what we would have done without her!
Thank you for your valuable comment. A good and caring physician is worth their weight in gold, especially when a family is going through a difficult time with a loved one.
I am the medical proxy for a 95-year-old friend. We were lucky because Dr. Zeleznik was referred to us right away, so we didn’t have to discover that geriatricians are so scarce. I was pleasantly astounded the first time Dr. Zeleznik answered my e-mail within the hour. Now I know to expect this excellent communication from her. I appreciate Dr. Zeleznik’s very broad knowledge of her field, but most of all I appreciate her genuine concern for my friend.
Thank you for listening to the episode and your kind words about Dr. Zeleznik. It’s all true!