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An Introduction to Health Care for Older Adults
What is Geriatrics? (PDF)
The FHA Physician
Referral Service
Talking
with Your Doctor: A Guide for Older People from the National Institute
on Aging
America is growing older at an unprecedented rate.
The number of people 65 and older is larger than ever before, and
those 85 and older constitute the fastest growing segment of the
population. When the baby boom generation enters its senior years,
between 2010 and 2030, it is projected that one in five Americans
will be over 65. With this "graying of America" comes
not only the demand for physicians and other health care professionals
with expertise in geriatrics, but also a huge growth in the number
of caregivers: family and friends who can help older loved ones
live longer and healthier lives.
But what is geriatrics? And what can caregivers
do to help?
Geriatrics is the branch of medicine that focuses
on health promotion and the prevention and treatment of disease
and disability in later life.
A geriatrician is a medical doctor who is specially
trained to prevent and manage the unique and, oftentimes, multiple
health concerns of older adults. Older persons may react to illness
and disease differently than younger adults. Geriatricians are able
to treat older patients, manage multiple disease symptoms, and develop
care plans that address the special health care needs of older adults.
Generally, geriatricians are primary care physicians
who are board-certified in either Family Practice or Internal Medicine
and have also acquired the additional training necessary to obtain
the Certificate of Added Qualifications in Geriatric Medicine. There
are approximately 9,000 geriatricians in the U.S. In addition, there
are several hundred osteopathic physicians (DO) certified in geriatrics,
as well as some 2,400 board-certified geropsychiatrists (a psychiatrist
trained to deal with the mental health needs and specific syndromes
faced by older adults). Other health care professionals who work
on a geriatrics team, such as nurses, pharmacists and physical therapists,
may have advanced training and hold special certifications in geriatrics.
There are other trained health professionals who
specialize in caring for older adults. In some situations, a team
of health care professionals will work together in the medical evaluation
of an older patient. The geriatrics team may include, in addition
to the geriatrician, any or all of the following professionals:
- Geriatrician
-
Nurse
-
Social worker
-
Nutritionist
-
Physical therapist
-
Occupational therapist
-
Consultant pharmacist
-
Geropsychiatrist
These specialists look at the person holistically.
The team considers the person's medical history and present health
condition. The team also looks for the effects of past illnesses,
as well as "geriatric syndromes" - common health concerns
found in the frail elderly such as incontinence, frequent falls,
memory problems, and the side effects caused by multiple medications.
Members of the geriatrics team look at many aspects
of the patient's life. They evaluate the social support available
to a patient, usually a spouse, children or friends, and his or
her living and community conditions. The team also considers the
patient's ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs),
such as bathing, dressing and eating. While the geriatrician often
serves as the "point person," each member of the geriatrics
team is a skilled health professional. All play an important role
in the proper assessment and care of an older patient.
People over the age of sixty-five have different
degrees of disability and illness. Some have no problems at all,
while others have many serious health concerns.
While primary care physicians - general internists
and family physicians - care for most older persons, geriatricians
are often sought to provide consultations for the frailest of older
persons because of their unique qualifications and training. Geriatricians
frequently provide the primary care for older adults who have complicated
medical and social problems.
Regardless of an older person's age, a geriatrician should be consulted
when:
- An older person's condition causes considerable
impairment and frailty. These patients tend to be over the age
of 75 and coping with a number of diseases and disabilities, including
cognitive (mental) problems; or
- Family members and friends are feeling considerable
stress and strain as caregivers.
Founded in 1942, the American Geriatrics Society
(AGS) - www.americangeriatrics.org
- is the nation's leading non-profit association of geriatrics health
care professionals dedicated to improving the health, independence,
and quality of life of all older people. The Society supports this
mission in many ways, including activities in: clinical practice,
professional education, research, public education and information
through the AGS Foundation for Health in Aging, public policy efforts,
and through partnerships with other organizations.
The AGS Foundation for Health in Aging (FHA) is
a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization launched in 1999 by the American
Geriatrics Society (AGS). Our mission is to build a bridge between
geriatrics health care professionals and the public and to advocate
on behalf of older adults and their special needs: wellness and
preventive care, self-responsibility and independence, and connections
to family and community. The FHA pursues initiatives in public education,
research, and public policy. The FHA, in collaboration with the
AGS, strives to make trustworthy and practical health care information
available to the public at no charge.
If you would like a list of physicians in your area who are sensitive
to the special health care needs of older adults, you may call the
FHA at (800) 563-4916 or submit
your request via our web site. All physicians participating
in our referral service are members of the American Geriatrics Society
(AGS) and are board-certified in either Family Practice (FP) or
Internal Medicine (IM). Many have also acquired additional training
necessary to obtain the Certificate of Added Qualifications in Geriatric
Medicine (CAQGM). Please be aware that a referral from us does not
represent an endorsement by the FHA or AGS of the services of the
physician.
The AGS Foundation for Health in Aging
The Empire State Building
350 Fifth Avenue, Suite 801
New York, New York 10118
Toll Free: +1 (800) 563-4916
Website: www.healthinaging.org
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