Sad to hear today of the death of Dr. Robert Butler from complications of leukemia. The appellation “father of modern gerontology” is a well-deserved one, as I referenced his research and teachings throughout much of my training as a  resident and fellow. Many of the I principles incorporate into my daily practice have come from what this pioneer so dutifully studied in over 300 scholarly articles and publications. Although he was a psychiatrist by training, his contributions to geriatric medicine virtually created the discipline itself.

Butler was the first clinician who coined the term “ageism”, the result of such forward-thinking approaches to the geriatric patient that was characterized by the medical practice free of biased attitudes and treatment assumptions that, if employed today, would cause harm to many elderly patients receiving chronic medical care. Indeed, many of his sound principles so sacrosanct to the practice of geriatrics and study of gerontology sprang forth from his diligence, inquisitiveness, and yearning for the dignified treatment of the elderly patient. He will be missed. | LINK

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