Health News
by Helene King
As the baby boomer generation continues to age, geriatricians and the services they need will be in more demand. One report by the Association of Directors of Geriatric Academic Programs and the American Geriatrics Society estimates that while there are currently 7,500 certified geriatricians in the nation, 36,000 geriatricians will be needed by 2030.
If you?ve never even heard of a geriatrician, you?re not alone. To find out why their skills may help you enjoy a healthy fulfilling life as you get older, read on.
What is a Geriatrician?
A geriatrician is a medical doctor who has further training and experience in diagnosing and treating people as they get older. The challenges we face as we age can involve ongoing, complex medical conditions and/or physical, emotional and social issues. Geriatricians can also be crucial when it comes to maintaining normal care and wellness routines.
Geriatricians are board-certified in internal or family medicine and have a minimum of one year of clinical training in geriatric medicine.
A geriatrician is different than a gerontologist because the later has an advanced degree in the study of aging but does not have a medical degree.
Additionally, geriatricians work with family members and caregivers for approaches to cope with their own worries and stress.
Common Elderly Issues
With major advancements in medical care, people are living longer. However, as the body ages, it changes and different conditions can develop. Factors of both the environment and genetics play roles in how we grow older.
Heart disease is the most common illness that people 64 and old develop, but it?s often not the only thing. Many times elders are dealing with two or more of the following health issues at the same time.
Multi-Disciplinary Team
?Caring for the elderly is really a team effort,? says Susan Levy, MD, medical director of Levindale Hebrew Geriatric Center and Hospital and Courtland Gardens Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. ?A geriatrician often works with medical experts in a variety of fields to treat the whole person, both physically and psychologically.?
Other team members can include primary care doctors, social workers, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech/language therapists, psychiatrists, psychologists, cardiologists, urologists and neurologists.
Sometimes people who are 60 or older and are healthy stay with their primary care doctors. Other times, they decide to also work with a geriatrician, so he or she has a baseline to analyze any changes if, or when, they happen.
Getting Help
If you are wondering where can find a geriatrician, in the Baltimore area, you can call LifeBridge Health at 410-601-WELL. For other areas, you can call American Geriatrics Society at 212-308-1414.
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Health News
Geriatricians Help the Elderly
by Helene King
As the baby boomer generation continues to age, geriatricians and the services they need will be in more demand. One report by the Association of Directors of Geriatric Academic Programs and the American Geriatrics Society estimates that while there are currently 7,500 certified geriatricians in the nation, 36,000 geriatricians will be needed by 2030.
If you?ve never even heard of a geriatrician, you?re not alone. To find out why their skills may help you enjoy a healthy fulfilling life as you get older, read on.
What is a Geriatrician?
A geriatrician is a medical doctor who has further training and experience in diagnosing and treating people as they get older. The challenges we face as we age can involve ongoing, complex medical conditions and/or physical, emotional and social issues. Geriatricians can also be crucial when it comes to maintaining normal care and wellness routines.
Geriatricians are board-certified in internal or family medicine and have a minimum of one year of clinical training in geriatric medicine.
A geriatrician is different than a gerontologist because the later has an advanced degree in the study of aging but does not have a medical degree.
Additionally, geriatricians work with family members and caregivers for approaches to cope with their own worries and stress.
Common Elderly Issues
With major advancements in medical care, people are living longer. However, as the body ages, it changes and different conditions can develop. Factors of both the environment and genetics play roles in how we grow older.
Heart disease is the most common illness that people 64 and old develop, but it?s often not the only thing. Many times elders are dealing with two or more of the following health issues at the same time.
- Heart conditions (hypertension, vascular disease, congestive heart failure, high blood pressure and coronary artery disease)
- Dementia, including Alzheimer?s disease
- Depression
- Incontinence (urine and stool)
- Arthritis
- Osteoporosis
- Diabetes
- Breathing problems
- Frequent falls
- Parkinson?s disease
- Cancer
- Eye problems (cataracts, glaucoma, Macular Degeneration)
- A weakened immune system
Multi-Disciplinary Team
?Caring for the elderly is really a team effort,? says Susan Levy, MD, medical director of Levindale Hebrew Geriatric Center and Hospital and Courtland Gardens Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. ?A geriatrician often works with medical experts in a variety of fields to treat the whole person, both physically and psychologically.?
Other team members can include primary care doctors, social workers, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech/language therapists, psychiatrists, psychologists, cardiologists, urologists and neurologists.
Sometimes people who are 60 or older and are healthy stay with their primary care doctors. Other times, they decide to also work with a geriatrician, so he or she has a baseline to analyze any changes if, or when, they happen.
Getting Help
If you are wondering where can find a geriatrician, in the Baltimore area, you can call LifeBridge Health at 410-601-WELL. For other areas, you can call American Geriatrics Society at 212-308-1414.
- Specialty Hospital At Levindale Opens Telemetry Unit
Maryland's first telemetry unit in a chronic hospital opened at Levindale last week. This unit provides heart monitoring for patients who require specialized medical care and treatment for serious illnesses and/or injuries. Each patient?s blood pressure,...
- Arthritis And Aging
Contrary to popular belief, there is joy that comes with aging. There?s seeing your children bloom into responsible self-sustaining adults. There?s having the time to do what you want during the day. There are decades-long friendships that bring immense...
- Levindale Looks To The Future
As 2009 winds down, LifeBridge Health is taking a look at some of the major events of the past year. Today, we visit the change in leadership at Levindale Hebrew Geriatric Center and Hospital and Courtland Gardens Nursing & Rehabilitation Center....
- Don't Let The Golden Years Slip Away
The Golden Years are supposed to be a time of relaxation after a lifetime of hard work. Unfortunately, for many of our elders, those years can also be a time of loss - whether it?s friends, family, mobility or independence that diminish. However, with...
- Beating The Senior Blues
We all deserve our golden years. After decades navigating life?s twists and turns, overcoming adversity, and working diligently to achieve success for ourselves and our families, we all should be afforded the opportunity in our late 60s, throughout our...