Meiring P D, Benatar S R
S Afr Med J. 1986 Apr 26;69(9):565-9.
The birth of modern geriatric medicine in the USA and UK is briefly described as a prelude to the recognition of the need to establish facilities to teach this discipline at South African medical schools. The response of the University of Cape Town to this clearly shown need, the steps taken to endow a chair and the subsequent plans to commence a service are outlined. Consideration of population projections for the age group above 60 years between 1970 and the year 2020 suggests that formal training in the various disciplines involved in caring for the aged has been introduced none too soon. The first incumbent of the William Slater Chair of Geriatric Medicine commenced duty on 1 October 1981 and the milestones in the subsequent development of a service based upon the University of Cape Town and Groote Schuur and other hospitals are described.
本文简要介绍了现代老年医学在美国和英国的诞生，以此作为认识到南非医学院校有必要设立该学科教学设施的前奏。概述了开普敦大学对这一明确需求的回应、设立教授职位所采取的步骤以及随后开展服务的计划。对1970年至2020年60岁以上年龄组人口预测的考量表明，引入针对老年护理所涉及各学科的正规培训时机恰到好处。老年医学威廉·斯莱特教授职位的首任任职者于1981年10月1日开始履职，并描述了随后以开普敦大学、古特·舒尔医院及其他医院为基础发展服务的重要阶段。
