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Why see a geriatrician?

It's not just patients, but other physicians, who have trouble figuring out what I do and when I should do it. Is it when a person turns 65? Or when they develop problems with memory like dementia?

Here are a list of reasons

1. The patient has multiple medical problems.

At some point managing multiple medical problems becomes an art in itself. A typical patient might see a specialist for every one of their medical problems, with the inevitable increase in the complexity of managing them. A geriatrician might take that patient, put it into a big picture and treat the big picture.

2. The patient has functional decline.

Geriatricians know about…

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Articles of Interest

Baby Boomers: Aging Population Casts Light On Geriatrics Shortage

Geriatricians have expertise in areas that general internists don’t, including the changes in cognitive ability, mood, gait, balance and continence, as well as the effects of drugs on older individuals. But with few doctors drawn to the field and some fleeing it, the disparity between the number of geriatricians and the population it serves is destined to grow even starker. “We’re an endangered species,” said Dr. Rosanne Leipzig, a renowned geriatrician at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York.

GPS: Geriatric Positioning System

In the past month, three unrelated experiences point to the fact that we have a big problem on our hands, and we are not sure how to get a handle on it. Older people are getting lost. And I DO NOT mean lost in a moral sense, or lost in the system. I mean they are actually leaving their homes, losing their way and becoming lost.

Resources

GeriatricsCareOnline.org

GeriatricsCareOnline.org provides high-quality, trustworthy information created to ensure that all health care professionals have the latest research on caring for older adults. We offer an optimized search tool that enables you to search across the AGS product portfolio and quickly find tools, online resources, AGS publications and products tailored to meet your specific needs.

Geri Pearls

The Pearl cards are a short concise review of a particular geriatric topic.

Geriatric Examination Tool Kit

Produced by University of Missouri, Columbia School of Health Professions, Department of Physical Therapy. Includes links to useful tools to assess functional status, fall risk, and much more. PDF files for easy printing and use in offices.

Geriatrics Resource Guide

The elderly have been found to have more undiagnosed disease than other groups, suffer greater morbidity and mortality and require prolonged recovery times. Special skills are required. Geriatric care emphasizes total medical, social, psychological, and functional assessment for comprehensive diagnosis and the determination of patient needs. The functional impact of illnesses, rather than their names or total number, guide diagnostic intervention and treatment planning

HealthinAging.org

Welcome to HealthinAging.org, created by the American Geriatrics Society's Health in Aging Foundation, to provide consumers and caregivers with up-to-date information on health and aging. Overseen by a team of experts on caring for older adults, HealthinAging.org content is based on resources that the American Geriatrics Society has developed for its professional members.

USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology

The USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology explores all aspects of human development and aging. Coursework and rich research opportunities in biology, psychology, sociology, policy, and aging services offer a unique, multidisciplinary curriculum.

MedPage Today

Putting breaking medical news into perspective.