Visiting Germany in the winter

Elderly people often tell stories about their life experiences to a younger audience. Storytelling is a mechanism by which the elderly re-experience notable events of their past, perhaps reminding themselves that they have not always been old and ill. Physicians who treat the elderly should encourage these reminiscences, as they often provide some sense of well-being to the storyteller. When the patient is also a physician, these clinical visits present opportunities for connection between younger and older generations of physicians. This article illustrates a clinical vignette in an internal medicine outpatient practice. The patient is an elderly retired physician who was struggling with ill health and recent loss. The vignette highlights his resilience in the face of adversity.