In 1930, house calls were standard practice for physicians, accounting for approximately 40 percent of patient visits. By 1950, this number had fallen to 10 percent, and by 1980, only about 1 percent of patient visits happened in the home. But as they say, everything old is new again, and with the coming demographic changes, it seems doctors may be making more home visits in the near future.

If you're reading this in October, Medicare Open Enrollment is beginning again, and for many, that means changes to your healthcare plan. Even if you're already a Medicare patient, there are numerous plans that change or simply stop existing each year, so it's important to stay up to date with Medicare changes.

The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) is United States-based interest group that advocates for the rights and positive treatment of elderly people. AARP advocates for housecall visits for patients.