Bridging the Generation Gap
How to Be Heard When Your Doctor Grew Up Online
$45.00
Your doctor may be young enough to be your grandchild — and that’s okay, once you know how to work with it.
A growing number of older adults now see physicians young enough to be their grandchildren — a real generational gap in communication style, technology use, and pacing that can leave patients feeling unheard, rushed, or reluctant to speak up. Most patients have never been taught how to prepare for or navigate this dynamic.
That’s what this course is for.
Each session comes with a substantive handout you work through on your own, at your own pace. Worksheets, prompts, and sample scripts are provided to walk you from feeling unheard or dismissed to walking into every appointment prepared, clear, and confident. The material is honest, practical, and direct — designed for people who are serious about doing this right.
pdf download link provided when your payment is collected.
All materials provided are solely for educational purposes and do not constitute legal or tax advice.
About mary l. flett, phd
Dr. Mary is a psychologist with 30 years of clinical experience in aging and later life. She is the creator of the Five Pillars of Aging framework and shares her knowledge and experience through these self-paced courses, in her long-running blog on aging, and as a national speaker. Now retired from private practice, she consults with non-profits and policy advocates from her home in the Bay Area. Learn more and explore the full range of topics in her Lecture Library at drmaryflett.com
Take a look at what you’ll get . . .
SESSION 1
Understanding Generational Communication Differences
Learn how younger physicians act and think, how their training and communication norms differ, and how to bridge the gap without judgment on either side.
SESSION 2
Maximizing Your Appointment Time
Prepare a chief concern, organize your symptom description, and bring a complete medication list so limited appointment time is used well.
SESSION 3
Advocating for Yourself Effectively
Learn to use the teach-back method, ask specific rather than vague questions, and speak up when computer use or pacing of the appointment interferes with connection.
SESSION 4
Building a Productive Partnership
Bridge the gap by combining your decades of life experience with your doctor’s current medical knowledge into a genuine care partnership that works for both of you!
Built Around One Central Question:
It’s tempting to write off a generational mismatch as a bad fit. But the real question is different: what does this doctor need from me, in this appointment, to actually do his or her job well?
This Course Is Also Useful If You Accompany a Parent to Appointments
If you’re a family caregiver who sits in on medical appointments with an older parent, or a professional who supports patients through the healthcare system — patient advocates, care managers — the frameworks here translate directly to helping someone else be
