Seniors are the fastest-growing segment of America’s population. By 2020, seniors will make up 16% of the U.S. population. As our nation continues to age, we’ll require more medical care and better access to medical services.
If you’re a senior, you know firsthand the specific medical needs that come with aging. So do geriatricians. As they specialize in helping seniors live healthy and balanced lives, they are the right medical professional to seek as you age.
If you have concerns with challenges listed below, it may be time to seek the help of a geriatrician…
1. Frailty— It’s a nearly unpreventable part of aging, however frailty– defined by signs that include sudden weight loss, muscular tissue loss as well as weakness– could affect your capacity to live on your own. A geriatrician can help protect against or deal with frailty as well as creating a treatment strategy if necessary.
2. Persistent medical problems— Managing multiple medical conditions is challenging. Joint inflammation, heart disease, diabetes, amnesia and mental deterioration when combined can be detrimental to quality of life. Geriatricians understand how these conditions evolved as well as ways to manage them concurrently.
3. Numerous medicines— If you have multiple medical conditions, you’re probably managing them with more than one medicine. Geriatricians understand how medicines work together in a senior’s body. They also help to manage prescriptions to reduce negative side effects.
4. Psychological challenges— Aging naturally features some degree of cognitive decrease & memory loss. Nonetheless, some senior citizens deal with less common conditions, such as Alzheimer’s, that need proper treatment. Geriatricians can differentiate the typical indicators of old age versus more major ailments.
5. Caregiver assistance— Seniors may eventually require assistance with day-to-day tasks such as showering, toileting, clothing as well as simply eating. They might depend on family to care for them or hire outside help. A geriatrician can assist you– and also your family members– in deciding when it’s the right time to employ the help of a home health assistant or move to a caring nursing center.
If you’re ready to work with a geriatrician, ask your current health care professional for a recommendation. You can also look at these other resources:
http://www.healthinaging.org/find-a-geriatrics-healthcare-professional/
https://doctor.webmd.com/find-a-doctor/specialty/internal-medicine-geriatrics
