Physician assistants and nurse practitioners who specialize in geratrics are being incentivized to practice in Colorado.
A new bill would provide $400,000 in loan forgiveness next year for those medical providers who are willing to practice geriatrics in underserved communities, according to the CBS local affiliate in Denver.
Proponents of the legislation say that it would at least partially address the ratio of geriatric specialists to older adults in the state. Currently, the state has 89 geriatricians for 1.3 million residents aged 60 or more years.
Colorado currently has more than 1.25 million residents over the age of 60, and by 2030, there will be more than 1.5 million residents over 60. In as little as two years, the senior population will outnumber the 18-and-under demographic.
“When you take your older loved one to the doctor and they receive care from someone who is specially trained to take care of older people. They get better care. Their life is enriched, they live longer, happier, healthier and more independently,” Sen. Jessie Danielson (D), who sponsored the legislation, told CBS.
