The geriatric medicine is the branch of medicine that caters for the needs and typical health problems of the elderly .
What does the geriatrician do?
The geriatrician is the specialist in assessing and managing the health needs typical of old age. After 65, it is not uncommon to find multiple health problems at the same
time, which may require the intervention of multiple specialists. The geriatrician, therefore, is a doctor devoted to a difficult task. Among his responsibilities is also to avoid that the
simultaneous taking of multiple drugs gives rise to side effects, or dangerous interactions for the patient.
What are the pathologies most often treated by the geriatrician?
The pathologies most frequently examined and treated by the geriatrician are various. Among them we mention:
- arthritis
- diabetes
- difficulties in social interactions
- memory disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease
- hypertension
- cardiovascular diseases
- cognitive pathologies
- neurodegenerative diseases
What are the procedures most used by the geriatrician?
The geriatrician is a medical professional who adopts a multidisciplinary approach to the care of patients and the support of their family members. The geriatrician often works in a team that can be
composed of figures such as nurses, physiotherapists, social workers, a nutritionist, occupational therapy experts, speech therapist and psychiatrist. This team work allows to evaluate the patient’s medical, social and emotional needs, also paying attention to contingent problems such as memory loss, incontinence, the risk of falls and the possible
need for assistance in dressing and taking care of personal hygiene and nutrition.
When to ask for an appointment with the geriatrician?
The patients older than 75 years , who are suffering from health problems, including disorders of cognition, they are those who most need the intervention of the geriatrician. When the health of an elderly person is a reason for considerable disability and frailty and taking care of them causes significant stress to family and friends, it is advisable to visit a
geriatrician.
A visit is also recommended when there are difficulties in following the prescribed therapies or following the indications of the various specialists to manage all the health problems with which you
live.
