- How old to go to the geriatrician
- Diseases that the geriatrician treats
- Is geriatrics the same thing as gerontology?
The geriatrician is the doctor who specializes in taking care of the health of the elderly, through the treatment of diseases or common problems at this stage of life, such as memory disorders, loss of balance and falls, urinary incontinence, high blood pressure, diabetes, osteoporosis, depression, in addition to complications caused by the use of medications or excessive examinations.
This doctor will also be able to guide ways to prevent the onset of diseases, as well as help to achieve healthy aging, in which the elderly can remain active and independent for as long as possible. In addition, monitoring by the geriatrician is a good option for those elderly people who are treated by several doctors of various specialties, and end up being confused with so many medicines and tests.
Generally, the consultation by the geriatrician takes longer, as this doctor can perform several tests, such as those that assess the memory and physical capacity of the elderly, in addition to making a more general assessment, which involves, in addition to physical health, also emotional issues and social.
In addition, the geriatrician is able to better understand the changes in the body structure and the metabolism of the elderly body, knowing how to better indicate the remedies that are appropriate or not suitable for use at this age.
How old to go to the geriatrician
The recommended age to go to the geriatrician is from 60 years old, however, many people seek to consult with this doctor even before, at 30, 40 or 50 years old, mainly to prevent the problems of the third age.
Thus, the healthy adult can be consulted with the geriatrician to treat and prevent diseases, as well as that elderly person who is already frail or who has sequelae, such as being bedridden or without recognizing the people around, for example, as this specialist can identify ways to reduce problems, rehabilitate and give more quality of life to the elderly.
The geriatrician can perform consultations in doctor's offices, home care, long-stay institutions or nursing homes, as well as in hospitals.
Diseases that the geriatrician treats
The main diseases that the geriatrician can treat include:
- Dementia, which causes changes in memory and cognition, such as Alzheimer's, dementia by Lewy bodies or frontotemporal dementia, for example. Understand what causes and how to identify Alzheimer's; Diseases that cause loss of balance or difficulties in movement, such as Parkinson's, essential tremor and loss of muscle mass; Posture instability and falls. Learn what are the causes of falls in the elderly and how to avoid them; Depression; Mental confusion, called delirium. Urinary incontinence; Dependence to perform activities or immobility, when the elderly is bedridden. Learn how to prevent muscle loss in the elderly; Cardiovascular diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol; Osteoporosis; Complications due to the use of drugs inappropriate for age or in excess, a situation called Iatrogeny.
The geriatrician is also able to carry out the treatment of the elderly who have diseases that cannot be cured, through palliative care.
Is geriatrics the same thing as gerontology?
It is important to remember that geriatrics and gerontology are different. While geriatrics is the specialty that studies, prevents and treats diseases of the elderly, gerontology is a more comprehensive term, as it is the science that studies human aging, and includes the action of doctors and other health professionals as a nutritionist, physiotherapist, nurse, occupational therapist, speech therapist and social worker, for example.
