Going to a Geriatrician

I am 61 years old and in fairly good health. A new geriatrician has opened a practice close to where I live. I met the physician because her children go to the Sunday school that I often volunteer at. I wanted to make a new patient appointment with her, but my friends are laughing at me. Most people are under the impression that geriatricians see patients in nursing homes and hospice. When is a good time to start seeing a geriatrician to ensure healthy aging? Thanks.

Going to a Geriatrician

Dear Going to a Geriatrician,

Ask yourself these questions: Do you really need all these medications? When can you stop getting mammograms or colonoscopies? How much should you exercise? What can you do to prevent incontinence? How many times can you lose your keys before you should be worried about long term memory loss? Should I buy long term care insurance? Who is going to make my medical decisions as I get older?

A geriatrician is a doctor that is trained in internal medicine or family practice with an additional 2 years of training focused on studying the aging process; more importantly they recognize what is a normal part of aging and what is an abnormal part of aging. Geriatricians care for people 65 and older (the opposite of a pediatrician); there are some that believe that you should start seeing a geriatrician at 55.

However, for adults that want to get a head start on healthy aging, we welcome patients of all ages. Studies show that while older people usually have more illnesses, they actually have shorter clinic visits compared to a younger person; older people that come with family members have even shorter visits than older people without family members. They are less likely to be referred to a specialist or have routine screening exams ordered and more likely to have untreated pain.

The foundation of a geriatrician’s practice of medicine is the geriatric assessment, which includes a detailed functional, cognitive, and nutritional assessment as well as a thorough review of a person’s medications and their possible interactions and side effects. Furthermore, geriatricians receives additional training on treating geriatric syndromes, or diseases common in the older population, such as insomnia, osteoarthritis, dementia, constipation, depression, osteoporosis, etc.

Geriatricians are also a resource for information on social issues that may affect the older person. They offer more personal advice as well, such as how to determine when an older adult should stop driving and the best way to manage the situation. They value the family and the caregiver’s role in caring for their loved ones.

At Village Physicians, we pride ourselves on treating disease or improving health along with quality of life for our patients. Our longer appointment times allow us to focus on patient education. Not only do we see patients in clinic, but we also make house calls and have telemedicine services available as well as a physician on call 24 hours a day. So, to answer your question, you are never too young to see a geriatrician.

The Doctor

Going to a Geriatrician