It is Time to See a Geriatrician

A geriatrician is a medical specialist who deals with diseases and disabilities that come with age. Old age comes with a set of medical vulnerabilities that increase the chances of ailment. Geriatricians are trained to handle senior patients with multiple diseases and unique conditions only seen in senior ages. They are well conversant with all possible causes of ill health in seniors and in addition to offering rehabilitation, nutritional and psychiatric services. Unlike general physicians, Geriatricians collude with other specialists to improve quality of life and deduce better methods of treating diagnosed problems. Living in the assisted living community senior citizens can visit a geriatrician any time. Living at home seniors should also visit doctors regularly. Below are the signs to consider before you take your elderly parents to a Geriatrician.

1. Frailty

Frailty is the inability to work independently. It’s an inevitable point during aging that needs psychological attention to avoid possible consequences associated with it. When seniors are unable to work independently, they are highly susceptible to falls, depression, and associated injuries. The geriatrician would assess the condition to determine the risks involved and tailor a plan to prevent them.

2. Several medical issues

Like pediatricians who are specialists for children, geriatricians collect all important information to protect and cure a range of illnesses common among old people. Having a number of complications, more so involving cardiac problems, diabetes, hypertension among others, requires close scrutiny to centralize their treatment. Geriatricians have good knowledge of how these diseases relate to seniors.

3. On multiple medications

Aging reduces the functioning capacity of the stomach, kidney, liver, and other important organs in the body. If a senior is under many different medications, they might be creating adverse effects, which further deteriorate his or her health. Geriatricians look closely at how the patient handles the drugs and can change the dosages to fit their rate of elimination from their system. Drugs side effects on seniors are different compared to younger people.

4. Reduced mental capability

Aging is characterized by reduced levels of cognition. This is common. However, there may be no clear line to differentiate between normal decline of brain function and other chronic diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease. Geriatricians are trained adequately to determine when seniors are affected by depression or other mental illnesses and not normal aging.

5. When they need senior age advice

Apart from offering medical responses, geriatricians offer psychological preparedness for death and advice to the family members. This is an important issue mostly when it comes to writing a will. They also help offset the burden that comes with caregiving to seniors. They are experts in determining the right avenues where they could get caregiving services seamlessly.

When to see the Geriatrician urgently

1. Dementia and delirium

These are psychological conditions brought by irreversible and degenerative brain damage. Seniors should be taken to the hospital urgently if this condition has progressed to cause falls or disturbing behaviors. Such cases are signs of severe episodes of dementia which may also lead to hallucinations and depression. If allowed to progress, dementia and delirium might lead to a worsened cases of poor memory, collude conclusions, self-harm, and loss of concentration.

2. Self-harm and depression

Self-harm is not common among seniors as compared to young people. Nonetheless, in cases of isolation and chronic illnesses, depression might lead to self-harm. A huge number of seniors involved in self-harm are prone to attempting suicide. For patients suffering from dementia, this may be seen as unintentional self-harm. Therefore, geriatrician psychological assessment is important in clearing things up.

3. Fractures and loss of bone density (osteoporosis)

Due to weak bones and frailty, seniors are highly vulnerable to falls and high possibility of fractures. Urgent medical care should be given in case of fractures, which should be followed by osteoporosis management. Patients recovering from falls should be referred to a fall prevention unit.

4. Adverse drugs effects

Multiple drug prescriptions may cause a sudden serious problem,s especially to seniors. In many cases, patients might have neglected drugs or abused them leading to a rapid worsening of their medical condition. Other cases may include overprescribing, use of contraindicated medicine, and overdose. Any case of adverse drug effect should be treated as urgent.