Geriatric is the branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases in older adults. It is clinical, preventive, remedial and concerns the social aspects of illness in older people.
The purpose of geriatrics intervention is to restore an ill and disabled person to a level of maximum ability and wherever possible, to return the person to an independent life at home.
HEALTH CONCERNS WITH AGEING
Nature Will Take its Course
Ageing is an inevitable and irreversible biological process that every human being will eventually have to face. As we age, a slew of health problems start afflicting our ailing bodies. For some of these problems, there is no direct cause – age is a primary cause. Most of the body’s organs lose their efficiency, weakening the immune system thus making us prone to illnesses.
Holistic Care and Treatment
A geriatrician specialises in the medical needs of older people, serving as a one-stop counter that provides prescriptions to their patients, debunking ageing myths and guiding the patient towards holistic living. Aside from focusing on the patient’s health, a geriatrician monitors overall welfare and psychosocial concerns, in order to cultivate high quality of life.
Common Conditions
- Dementia
- Osteoporosis
- Impaired mobility
- Impaired cognition/memory
- Poor feeding
- Taking too many medications
Common Services Performed
- Geriatric assessment
- Management of geriatric syndromes
- Management and coordination of care for multiple co-existent chronic medical conditions
- Geriatric rehabilitation
- Care-giver education