Geriatric care is a branch of medicine that deals with conditions in the elderly. Geriatricians are primary care doctors who have had additional training in the health care needs of older people. While this field is widely recognized and well established in the developed countries, it is in its nascent stages in India.
Geriatricians know the importance of maintaining independent living and social support as well as of using a holistic approach that emphasizes healthy aging and preventive care.
A holistic Geriatric team consists of nurses, caretakers, counselors, physical therapists, pharmacists and dietitians who orchestrate an optimal care regimen. Elders have many special medical needs, from addressing natural aging body to managing multiple medical problems and ensuring social support.
Geriatricians have a deeper understanding of how these issues might affect a seniors ability to perform day to day activities and how the condition should be handled.
Geriatricians are trained to recognize how illnesses in an elderly is different from illnesses in a younger person and their course. The illnesses are not only different from elderly, but each elderly condition is unique, which depends on various variables like age, conditions or diseases that they are suffering from, the age of the conditions or diseases, the medications that they are on and since when, their compliance to the treatment etc.
There are various conditions that a Geriatrician has to keep in mind while deciding a care plan for a senior.
Freility is an inevitable part of aging, but it may affect an elderly person's ability to function independently at different times and in different ways, such as making them more susceptible to falls and needing more supervision and assistance.
Multiple medical problems.
Multiple medical conditions often require taking numerous restriction drugs and older body breaks down medications differently than a young one. Geriatricians are trained to recognize side effects of these drugs interaction in seniors.
Mental decline.
Some loss of cognitive ability is an inevitable part of aging, but certain symptoms may indicate common conditions such as depression or Alzheimer's disease. Geriatricians are trained to know the difference between the signs of normal aging and those of more serious illness. They can also provide appropriate treatment for the condition.
A very important role that a Geriatrician also plays is of a support of the family by helping them with appropriate support to provide optimal care to their elders. As being a caretaker, it can be very tiring, confusing and stressful. Every condition has a specialist.
Age
Age is another condition which needs a specialist and Geriatricians are these specialists and their need is becoming evident now when we are seeing longevity. Over 40% of patients do not have family physicians managing their health. The concept of the family doctor has dwindled and hence patients and their family many times do not get the personal guidance on care of their loved ones.
More Physicians in Geriatric Senior Care will definitely bridge this gap to enhance the quality of life of the health. Medical science has added years to life. A structural approach to Geriatric care will definitely add life to age.
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