What Are Geriatricians And Do I Need One?
If your health condition is leading you to consider relocating to an assisted living in the Athens, Georgia area, it may also be time to consider the benefits of working with a geriatric physician for primary care. In this article we’ll discuss what Geriatricians are and discuss if you need a Geriatrician.
What Are Geriatricians
As you age, medical care can become more complex. Geriatric medicine is a specialty that focuses on how to manage medical issues and diseases more common in the second half of life.
A Geriatrician most often treats people over the age of 60 who are either healthy or have multiple medical conditions. They specialize in treating medical conditions that can impact one another and are particularly skilled in how medications interact and uniquely affect the human body in late life.
Orchard at Athens is currently forming partnerships with local geriatric physicians and other specialized practitioners to ensure helpful resources and onsite affiliate partners are available for residents and families.
Having a trusted onsite medical provider available at an assisted living adds to the collaboration of care and can simplify appointment coordination for busy families. When visiting and touring communities you are considering, be sure to ask about medical partnerships including geriatric physicians, visiting psychiatrists, and home health rehabilitation therapists.
Do You Need A Geriatrician?
Health conditions can complicate the aging process because they create added stress to the body and usually involve a variety of medications. As challenges arise, it will be important to find a way for specialty physicians to communicate with one another. A Geriatrician can serve as the lead for you and guide you on the “big picture” of your wellness.
If you are over the age of 60 and have one or more of the following conditions you may want to consider medical care with a geriatric focus.
- Allergies
- Arthritis
- Cancer
- Dementia
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Orthopedic injuries
- Osteoporosis
- Pain
- Sleep problems
- Thyroid disorder
Orchard at Athens affiliate geriatric care partners function not just as available onsite primary care but work closely and collaboratively with Orchards health and wellbeing director. This relationship ensures timely coordination and provides a person-centered team approach to managing care.
A general internist or family physician will typically serve as the primary care provider. But if you are especially frail or have complicated medical problems, it would be wise to consider a switch to a geriatric practitioner.
Whomever you choose, make sure your physician is committed to helping you make decisions about your health in context to your quality of life throughout the aging process.
Finding A Geriatrician
Below are some links that can help find a Geriatrician near you:
Orchard at Athens is also here to help! Contact Us if you have further questions about Geriatricians in Athens, Winterville, Watkinsville, Bogart, Hull, Statham, Winder, Ashland, Crawford, or Colbert and learn more about other onsite programs and if Orchard’s luxury senior living is a good choice for you.
