Geriatric Doctor in Reseda CA

A geriatric doctor is a physician that has pursued additional education and training in the care of older adults, typically over the age of 60. They have received specialized training that is focused on old age, as well as the diseases and medical issues that are associated with aging. A geriatric doctor has knowledge and experience in diagnosing and treating patients with a wide range of diseases and conditions such as dementia, osteoporosis, incontinence, diabetes, heart failure, hearing and vision loss, frailty and many other conditions. While these medical conditions are not exclusive to older and elderly people, they are more common in older adults. Geriatric doctors are just one of several medical care professionals that older people will work with for their health and well-being, depending on the conditions and illnesses that each individual suffers from. They operate in a similar way to a family or primary care physician, acting as the primary source of the patient’s conditions and treatments. They will oversee the patient’s treatment plan, ensuring there are no conflicting drug interactions and prioritizing treatments if their patient is dealing with multiple conditions.

Geriatric care operates on the general principles that aging isn’t an illness, quality of life is a critical outcome and geriatric care is multidisciplinary. Aging looks different for everyone, and the speed at which aging happens is unique to each individual. Illness and diseases are not a result of getting older but getting older does increase the likelihood and susceptibility of a person getting sick. Mental functions can also diminish in some people as they age, while others will have fully functional physiological capacity. Geriatric care often requires a delicate balance of multiple chronic illnesses, ensuring that the treatment plan for one doesn’t aggravate another condition or negatively interact with other medications. Allowing elderly patients to maintain a sense of independence and quality of life is a core principle for geriatric care. Geriatric care managers work with their patients to ensure they have the physical and social supports to allow each person to carry on with normal, everyday tasks. Geriatric care isn’t a one-person task, it often involves a team of medical professionals with different specializations including nurses, physical therapists, pharmacists, dieticians and other trained specialists to ensure all aspects of an older person’s health and well-being are being taken care of.

A geriatric doctor can treat any older adult, whether they are healthy or have health conditions and concerns related to getting older. Geriatric doctors are specialized in the diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of illnesses and diseases that are common in older adults, as well as general health and well-being of older and elderly people. With their training and education being focused on older patients, geriatric doctors are able to recognize the early warning signs of medical conditions that older patients are more likely to be affected by. These conditions can include osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, dementia, cancer, hearing and vision loss, diabetes, depression, incontinence, heart failure and balance issues, among other issues. Geriatric doctors also understand the unique needs of older patients and that they may have several conditions requiring treatment that need to be coordinated through multiple medical health professionals.

There is no set timeline for when you should see a geriatric doctor. Each individual’s needs are going to be different and the need for including a geriatric doctor as part of your medical team is going to be dependent on your health and your own family doctor’s familiarity with elderly patient care. Geriatric doctors are typically consulted for medical care when patients have multiple chronic medical conditions and are experiencing challenges in their day-to-day tasks. Your primary care doctor can help you determine when it is time to consult with a geriatric doctor based on your needs and will work with them on ensuring your health and well-being are well looked after to keep you healthy for many years to come.

If you want to know more about our services, call us or schedule an appointment online! We serve patients from Reseda CA, San Fernando CA, Twin Lakes CA, Hidden Hills CA, and Burbank CA.