A geriatrician is a medical specialist who focuses on the comprehensive care and management of the health needs of seniors, including assessment, treatment, and support for age-related conditions and complexities.
Tips & Links
- Seniors often have multiple chronic health conditions that makes their care complex. Geriatricians are skilled in managing conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, osteoporosis, and dementia, among others, with a focus on optimizing your quality of life.
- Know that Geriatricians are also often involved in palliative care and end-of-life care for seniors.
- Geriatricians often use a comprehensive geriatric assessments for those over 65 years of age who have had a sudden or significant change in their physical or cognitive health.
- Understand that a geriatric assessment includes a complete review of your medical history, physical examination, cognitive screening, assessment of activities of daily living, evaluation of your social support and living environment, medication review, and screening for common geriatric syndromes such as falls, incontinence, and malnutrition. From these findings, a plan of care can be developed.
- Be aware that you require a physician or nurse practitioner written referral to a Geriatrician or Geriatric Clinic.
- If you notice changes, complete the activity Changes in My Personal Needs in your Mywell Health planner and share it with your physician.
Tools – Handouts & Checklists
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