A geriatric care physician, or a geriatrician, is a doctor who practices geriatric medicine. This is a specialization focusing on the health issues that tend to affect people as we get older. These health issues may have physical, emotional, social, and psychological effects, which geriatric care specialists are highly trained and experienced in managing and treating.
Senior patients may have more than one chronic health condition, and they may react differently to the usual treatments prescribed to younger adults for various symptoms. For this reason, they need specialized care and treatment and age-appropriate care plans to help them live a high quality of life.
There are many reasons why a senior patient would be best served by a geriatric care specialist as a primary care provider. Let’s talk about a few of them:
Multiple Health Conditions
When a senior is dealing with multiple chronic health conditions, such as diabetes and asthma, this requires an in-depth medical approach. The treatment for one may exacerbate the symptoms of the other, and the prescribed medications may actually have contraindications – which means they work against each other.
For this reason, a geriatric care specialist can coordinate the patient’s care to ensure that each health issue is being managed and treated properly. If one healthcare specialist prescribed a medication that shouldn’t be taken with another one of the patient’s medications, a geriatrician can give the patient a different prescription that will not counteract the other medicine(s).
Taking Medications as Prescribed
Which brings us to the next point, which is proper medication management. Multiple health conditions usually require that several medications be taken on a specific schedule, but an elderly patient may have difficulty with keeping track of all of the medications – and whether they were indeed taken at the right times. There can be serious side effects of mismanagement of medication.
The family can become overwhelmed by the responsibilities of caregiving, including all of the necessary medications and ensuring proper nutrition. This is how a geriatric care doctor can help, by providing recommendations and guidance to help improve the living conditions of everyone involved. This includes the patient as well as the family members or caregivers.
Developing Memory Problems
Dementia is a common cognitive impairment that can affect people as we age. Dementia is characterized by memory loss, which can negatively impact patient safety and independence. The right screening is necessary to provide the right treatment to the patient who is developing memory problems.
Developing Significant Disability
Patients who are advancing in age may develop a combination of various musculoskeletal conditions that affect mobility. This can include arthritis, a decrease in muscle mass, and varying degrees of osteoporosis.
Plus, people who are over 60 are more prone to having mini-strokes, or TIAs (transient ischemic attacks), which can lead to falls that can cause life-threatening effects. A geriatric care specialist may prescribe physical therapy exercises and assistive devices to improve patient safety and independence despite their condition.
Geriatric Care Specialists in Eatonton, Georgia
It is normal for our medical needs to increase as we advance in age. Here at Lake Oconee Concierge Medicine, our compassionate geriatric care specialists provide the highest level of healthcare to elderly patients. We offer concierge care to our patients, which allows us to be there for our patients and their families.
To find out more about our services or to schedule an appointment, call our friendly staff at Lake Oconee Concierge Medicine today at (706) 484-9824 or fill out our appointment request form online now. We look forward to being your healthcare partner!
