GERIATRICS
Geriatrics is a specialty that focuses on the health care of elderly people. The aim is to promote health by preventing and treating diseases and disabilities in older adults. There is actually no set age at which patients may be under the care of a geriatrician, or geriatric physician, a physician who specializes in the care of elderly people. Rather, this decision is determined by the individual patient's needs, and the availability of a specialist.
It would be important to note the difference between geriatrics, which is the care of aged people, and gerontology, which is the study of the aging process itself. However, geriatrics is sometimes called medical gerontology.
Differences between Adult and Geriatric Medicine
Geriatrics differs from standard adult medicine because it focuses on the unique needs of the elderly person. The aged body is different physiologically from the younger adult body because during old age, the decline of various organ systems becomes manifest. Previous health issues and lifestyle choices add up to produce a different constellation of diseases and symptoms in different people. The appearance of certain symptoms depends on the remaining healthy reserves in the organs. Smokers, for example, encounter problems with their respiratory system early and rapidly.
Geriatricians would usually distinguish between diseases and the effects of normal aging. For example, renal impairment may be a part of aging, but kidney failure and urinary incontinence are not. Geriatricians aim to treat diseases that are present and achieve healthy aging. Geriatricians focus on achieving the patient's highest priorities in the context of multiple chronic conditions, and on the preservation of functions.
The 5Ms of Geriatrics
Generally, people all over the world are living longer and healthier lives, however, a person’s health can change over time because of the different conditions and concerns he faces. Many people, especially those in the mid-70’s and beyond, may develop different combinations of diseases, health conditions, and disabilities. The average person’s health needs become more complex as he gets older, and what matters most may also vary.
Geriatrics professionals, and many others who have advanced training in the care of older adults, can play an essential role in diagnosing and managing these conditions and health needs based on what matters to each person. Geriatrics providers focus on 5 key areas, known as the Geriatric 5Ms*. These “Ms” stand for the targets that are important to care for us all as old age beckons.
- MIND/MENTATION (Maintaining mental activity)
- Helping manage dementia (a decline in memory and other mental abilities that make daily living difficult)
- Helping treat and prevent delirium (an abrupt, rapid change in mental function that goes well beyond the typical forgetfulness of aging).
- Working to evaluate and treat depression (a mood disorder that can interfere with all aspects of your daily life)
- MOBILITY
- Maintaining the ability to walk and/or maintain balance.
- Preventing falls and other types of common injuries.
- MEDICATIONS
- Reducing polypharmacy (taking several medications).
- De-prescribing (the opportunity to stop unnecessary medications).
- Prescribing treatments exactly for an older person’s needs.
- Helping build awareness of harmful medication effects
- MULTI-COMPLEXITY
- Helping older adults manage a variety of health conditions
- Assessing living conditions when they are impacted by age, health conditions, and social concerns
- MATTERS MOST
- Coordinating advance care planning
- Helping manage goals of care
- Making sure that a person’s individual, personally meaningful health outcomes, goals, and care preferences are reflected in treatment plans
Geriatrics duties include:
- Evaluating a person’s social supports and living situation
- Considering the person’s ability to perform daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating
- Giving special attention to personal preferences and values when it comes to planning our care
- When to Consult a Geriatrics Health Professional
When to consult a Geriatrics healthcare professional:
One should consult a Geriatric professional if:
- He/she is an older person who has health conditions that cause significant impairment or frailty. Impairment most often occurs when people are over the age of 75. Older adults who benefit most from geriatrics expertise typically have a number of diseases and disabilities, including cognitive (or memory) concerns.
- Family members and friends are under significant stress as caregivers.
- As an older person one knows that their caregivers have trouble following complex treatments or managing relationships with many healthcare providers for multiple health conditions.
