A scientist or doctor who specializes in studying aging and treating health problems that affect elderly people.
From Greek geron (old man) + logos (study) + -ist (one who practices). The term became standardized in the 1940s-50s as medicine recognized aging as a distinct specialty.
Gerontologists discovered the 'oldest-old' paradox: people over 85 often report better emotional well-being than people in their 60s, suggesting aging gets psychologically easier after a certain point.
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