Geriatrics deals with the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases of old age, which often include osteoporosis, arthrosis and diabetes. Thanks to professional geriatric care, the fall of life has a chance to become a second youth. A geriatrician is a bit of an internist, cardiologist, diabetologist, ophthalmologist and physiotherapist.

Geriatradeals with the prevention of premature and pathological aging. Specialization in this field is done by doctors who have the title of specialist in family medicine or internal medicine. If they are admitted as general practitioners, a referral is not needed, otherwise it is required.

Geriatra heals comprehensively

Geriatrics is interdisciplinary, so a doctor of this speci alty is a bit of an internist, psychiatrist, neurologist, orthopedist, diabetologist, cardiologist, ophthalmologist, ENT specialist and rehabilitator. He also knows pharmacology, because he knows that the body of an elderly person is very sensitive and reacts differently to drugs.

Personality predispositions are also of great importance. A good geriatrician can remedy not only he alth problems, but also those related to mental well-being - he will always listen patiently and will not underestimate the concerns of an elderly person, and sometimes offer kind advice. If a patient's disease is particularly complicated and requires additional consultations - he will refer them to an appropriate specialist.

What does a geriatrician do?

Geriatra:

  • conducts a medical history and basic examination to examine the patient's condition and as part of the initial diagnosis;
  • orders laboratory and imaging tests (prophylactically or for diagnostic purposes);
  • interprets the test results;
  • cooperates with specialists and institutions that care for the elderly suffering from incurable diseases;
  • directs you to sanatorium and spa treatment;
  • prescribes medications, directs you to medical treatments (excluding surgical treatments), provides general advice on the prevention of a given disease.

When to see a geriatrician?

Seniors suffer from at least 2-3 ailments at the same time. These are usually diseases of the cardiovascular system, degenerationarthritis, osteoporosis, diabetes and high blood pressure. Ill elderly people consult many doctors of various speci alties. They usually treat only one disease, most often without taking into account other ailments. They prescribe numerous medications to patients, which often do not work because they interact with medications recommended by other specialists. Instead of spending the whole day at the clinic and leaving the lion's share of your pension at the pharmacy, it is worth going to the geriatrician immediately.

What diseases does a geriatrician treat?

Geriatrician can treat the entire spectrum of diseases affecting the elderly: starting with the most common ones related to the musculoskeletal system (hypertension, diabetes, backache, joint pain, osteoporosis), through diseases of the nervous and mental systems such as dementia, dementia , delirium, senile depression, up to malnutrition or problems with urinary incontinence. Geriatrician also deals with the treatment of chronic pain.

What to remember before visiting the geriatrician?

When preparing for a visit to a geriatrician, remember to take all existing medical records with you, including hospital records - even if there are a lot of documents. The patient should know what medications he is taking, including sleeping pills, sedatives and over-the-counter painkillers. If the patient keeps, for example, a diabetic diary or a diary for blood pressure measurement, he should also take them with him.

It is also worth writing down a list of problems to discuss with your doctor, so as not to forget about anything.

In the article I used information from the article "Geriatra - a doctor for the elderly" by Janina Blumka from the monthly "Zdrowie".

Worth knowing

There is a shortage of geriatricians in Poland

Our society is aging: almost 17% Poles are people over 60. According to forecasts, in 2022 this percentage will increase to 23 percent. At the same time, we live longer and longer: the average Pole - 79 years, and the Pole - 8 years less. Meanwhile, for 100 thousand. of seniors, there are 0.8 geriatricians. Currently, there are only 417 of them in our country (data from 2022) and there is no indication that the volume will change for the better. In some provinces there is not a single one! According to EU standards, 4 thousand people over seventy there should be 1 geriatrician.

Category:

Patient's kit