Life, Values & Legacy: Our Chat with Melissa Black M.D. of Decatur

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Melissa Black M.D.. Check out our conversation below.

Hi Melissa, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?
I lose track of time when I am engrossed in an interesting story. When I work with elders, I get to hear their stories and lived experiences. Through story, the aging person in front of me seems young again. In their tone of voice and the sparkle in their eyes, or subtle movements of their hands, I connect with a much younger version of them, and their true spirit which is ageless. Working with elders is like engaging every day with living history.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
After teaching geriatric medicine for almost 10 years with Emory Healthcare, I started my own family and geriatric medicine practice in Decatur in 2015. Since that time I have helped almost 1000 elders in the community with health needs by office and home visit. As I cross the 50 year mark this year, I feel a need to encapsulate the knowledge and experience I’ve gained so my own kids will have the information they need to care for me in my old age one day. EldercareMD is an educational service for adults serving as care partners for elders. Through content creation, app-based media and live virtual coaching, I help adult care partners navigate aging and healthcare to help ensure our elders get the best in care. Look for my content online and in the app store as EldercareMD.

Okay, so here’s a deep one: What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
My father was one of the youngest of 10 and my mother was one of 5. I have spent most of my life around elders. If a grandparent was ill they would stay in our home so we could help. If they were hospitalized, we would visit them every day. So I have always been an “old soul.” When my now-husband and I were dating, we took a trip to the local zoo. Upon return my mother asked what was the best thing we saw, to which we replied “Lena!.” Lena was an elder woman who lived next door with her sister where I grew up. They had no children of their own and became family to us. By then Lena was unable to walk and lived in a nursing home. That didn’t stop her from watching every Braves games or getting out every chance she could. We would run into Lena at local restaurants, and on this summer day, even the zoo. Lena shaped how I see the world because age or disability didn’t stop her from exploring her world and sharing with others. I aspire to help others achieve the same.

Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
The path to medical school was a long one for me. My father is from the Oneida Nation of New York and I come from a large extended family that mostly lives in one place. Leaving home for college was a challenge, let alone for 13 years of higher education. I did not get into medical school the first time I applied and took two years off before entry. I wondered if I should give up my goal which was hard. Around that time Leona, the other elder woman who lived next door to us growing up, developed metastatic breast cancer. Because I was not in school at that time, I was able to stay with her for a few months until she died, helping with meals, light housekeeping, caregiving and being with her when she passed. It gave me a deep appreciation for what it means to care for elders in an emotional and physical way. That experience went on to shape my career as a geriatrician.

Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What’s a cultural value you protect at all costs?
Honoring our elders is a cultural value that I strive to preserve and protect. When my father’s Indian tribe first began developing businesses to fund community services, one of the first things they did was have an annual elder’s dinner where the whole community would gather and celebrate elders. They are our living history. I can remember one uncle who had some dementia. He was mostly nonverbal. He’d sit outside his nursing home on a bench. I’d see him outside when I was walking. One day as a teenager, when our tribe first started having formal language classes and I had learned a few words, I sat next to him and said, “Shekoli, Uncle Pete. Wuhnisliyo Atste! Which means “Hello Uncle. It’s a nice day outside.” He started to cry. I don’t think anyone had spoken Oneida to him in a very long time. As I learned my own indigenous history and the trials our elders went through, I felt a deep desire to preserve their well-being. To bring back some of the health and joy that was taken from them. What better way to do that than through the practice of geriatric medicine.

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What do you understand deeply that most people don’t?
I understand deeply that life is very short and we need to really cherish every minute. I spend most of my time with people 90, even 100 years old. I may be the first person to diagnose the condition that will lead to their end. I may be the only person in a day. a month, even a year to touch them, offer a kind hand, sometimes a hug. Every week I see someone who I leave knowing it may be their last day or week on this earth. I think most people just move through life taking simple things for granted like the ability to walk, the ability to get outside the house, the expectation of tomorrow. I don’t take these things for granted because I see how quickly they evade us. Hopefully something better comes next. As J.K. Rowling wrote, “To a well organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.” So I think we’re all on a journey to someplace better, and we should help each other enjoy the trip!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.eldercaremd.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geridocmom/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-black-m-d-2a733173/
• Twitter: https://x.com/blackmelis
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61569755504963
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@eldercaremdhttps://www.youtube.com/@eldercaremd