LEGITIMACY AND GERIATRICS: MAKING SPACE FOR GERIATRIC CARE IN A NATIONAL HEALTHCARE SYSTEM

Sep 29, 2026

Uploaded by Ben

Medical anthropology is used to examine how geriatric services are established and sustained within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) system. The work applies Margaret Locks concept of “biomedical legitimacy” to analyze challenges and strategies for implementing geriatric programs serving rural Veterans. Semi-structured interviews with VHA staff and former leaders are analyzed through team-based rapid qualitative methods and interpreted using “legitimacy.” Results identify facilitators and barriers, including leadership support and specialist clinician availability, and outline systemic logistics to strengthen geriatric support within and beyond VA.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages2

Reading Time5 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Purpose and theoretical framework

Methods

Findings and implications

Innovation in Aging, 2025, Vol. 9, No. S2 363 Abstract citation ID: igaf122.1228 LEGITIMACY AND GERIATRICS: MAKING SPACE FOR GERIATRIC CARE IN A NATIONAL HEALTHCARE SYSTEM Jessica Riley1, Eileen Dryden2, Lauren Moo3, Meaghan Kennedy4, Camilla Pimentel4, and William Hung5, 1. Veterans Health Administration, Quincy, Massachusetts, United States, 2. Veterans Health Administration, Bedford, Massachusetts, United States, 3. VA Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, Massachusetts, United States, 4. VA Bedford Health Care System, Bedford, Massachusetts, United States, 5. James J Peters VA Medical Center, New York, New York, United States This presentation uses the lens of medical anthropology to better understand how geriatric services are established and maintained within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) system. Specifically, we look to Margaret Locks theoretical concept of ‘biomedical legitimacy’ in biomedicine to examine the challenges and strategies involved in implementing and maintaining geriatric programs aimed at serving rural Veterans within a complex healthcare landscape. Particularly we build on Lock’s biomedical legitimacy concept by considering how contextual factors, within a national healthcare system setting, influence the availability of geriatric services. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 13 staff members from four VA Clinical Resource Hubs (including a range of professional backgrounds such as 364 Innovation in Aging, 2025, Vol. 9, No. S2 psychiatry, family medicine, and geriatrics) and 11 former national, regional, and facility leaders in the VHA representing over 250 cumulative years of experience. Data were initially analyzed through team-based rapid qualitative analysis and then examined using the construct of “legitimacy.” Some of the findings include facilitators and barriers staff experienced while advocating for geriatric care as part of their region’s service line, some of which included leadership support and availability of clinicians to provide specialized geriatric care. This analysis provides a broader understanding of the systemic and logistical considerations that impact the delivery of geriatric care and highlights potential pathways for strengthening support for aging Veterans within the VA system and beyond.

FAQs

What theoretical concept guides the study of geriatric services in VHA?

The study uses Margaret Locks concept of “biomedical legitimacy” in biomedicine to assess how geriatric programs are made and maintained.

How was the research conducted?

The researchers conducted semi-structured interviews with 13 staff members and 11 former national, regional, and facility leaders, then analyzed the data through rapid team-based qualitative analysis.

What factors affect the availability of geriatric services according to the findings?

The findings highlight facilitators and barriers experienced when advocating for geriatric care, including leadership support and the availability of clinicians who can provide specialized geriatric care.

Sep 29, 2026

Uploaded by Ben