The 5Ms: an important new construct in geriatric medicine

In 1965, Bernard Isaacs coined the term “geriatric giants”. Professor Isaacs named these ‘giants’ as immobility, instability, incontinence, and impaired intellect/memory. These ‘giants‘ have changed over the past 50 years. The understanding of ‘modern geriatric giants’ has evolved to encompass the four new syndromes of frailty, sarcopenia, the anorexia of ageing, and cognitive impairment.2 These syndromes are the harbingers of falls, hip fractures, affective disorders and delirium with their associated increase in morbidity and mortality.2 All medical specialties need to be able to succinctly explain what they do, and in geriatric medicine this can be particularly difficult as there is a