What is geriatric care?
Geriatric care is a branch of medical care that is primarily tailored to the changing needs of older adults. The easiest way to understand what geriatricians do is to imagine them as pediatricians, but instead of caring for only children, they care for senior citizens. Most people also require more specialized care when they are older, because many people develop rarer conditions and illnesses as time passes.
Who provides geriatric care?
Geriatric care is provided by geriatricians. Geriatricians are professionals trained to take care of the elderly. They are generally family physicians with extra training and certification in the field of geriatrics.
What does geriatric care involve?
It involves basic medical care and treatment, of course, but geriatric care also involves more social and mental health support. Geriatricians generally help provide their patients with social support, as older people have a harder time socializing. This is incredibly important, as social interaction can seriously alleviate a significant amount of the mental effects of aging. There are also geriatric social workers, who are people that fall under the geriatric care umbrella that will help with these challenges. They advocate for the elderly in general social and familial situations, and essentially stand up for the patient when they cannot do it themselves. This also helps the mental health of the patients, which is vital for two reasons: the elderly tend to develop more mental illnesses out of isolation and old age, and many of the conditions that affect senior citizens degrade their mental state.
If you or a loved one are thinking about geriatric care, you should contact a primary care physician. If you’re looking for a primary care physician in Plano, Irving, or Frisco, call us at 214-666-6259 or schedule an appointment in the contact tab above the post.
Author Jai Sammpath