Geriatrician is a doctor for the elderly. This specialist medical doctor treats older patients. Geriatricians are board-certified specialists in old-age medicine and can help with any medical issues that may affect an aging population. In addition to diagnosing and treating age-related conditions, they coordinate care for older patients. These doctors are skilled at providing care in collaboration with other medical specialists. Here are some reasons to see a geriatrician.
They treat age-related medical issues
Doctors need to be sensitive to elderly patients during their workday. This age group is more at risk of developing conditions related to aging such as diabetes, heart disease, high bloodpressure and urinary incontinence. The elderly are more likely to experience cognitive and psychological changes. This article will discuss common discussions physicians have with older patients and review relevant changes associated with normal aging. It will then discuss common diseases and the cognitive as well as psychological changes that accompany aging.
They coordinate care for older patients
This study examined the current environment of primary health care teams as well as the services available to older adults in the local community. This study will allow physicians to develop a care coordination system for primary care that meets the needs of older people. To understand the views of these care coordinators, researchers also conducted a survey. Participants noted that there was little patient involvement in planning, difficulties coordinating care between health care systems and limited knowledge about the services available to older people.
They coordinate care with other health care providers
Study found that doctors must be able to coordinate patient care in order to ensure patient safety. Care coordination allows multiple health care providers to stay in the loop, decreasing the risk of unnecessary tests and treatments. A surprising 61% of seniors stated that their doctors asked about their treatment plans and who they were seeing. A further 28 percent of the respondents said they would love to get more follow-up calls from their doctors. 52 percent of respondents indicated that they would be interested in participating in a program for chronic disease management.
They offer pre-operative evaluations
Perioperative cardiac risk assessment is an integral part of the preoperative evaluation process. Its goal is to determine patients with unstable heart disease who may benefit from a delay in surgery. It may be unnecessary to administer stress tests if a patient is functionally stable and can walk up a flight of stairs. Preoperative cardiac risk assessments will reveal any other conditions that may affect surgical outcomes if a patient remains bedridden.
They deal with falls
Senior citizens are most likely to fall. More than 25% of seniors report falling each year. However, less than half of them report it to their doctor. Many fall victims don't report their injuries to their doctor, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Even if they did, a falling victim can suffer serious injury and even death. Poor balance and physical condition can all contribute to a fall.