As an adult child of aging parents, you may be assisting your parents with their medical needs and living arrangements. You may have heard of the phrase geriatric care and will likely encounter it more frequently as time passes. Geriatric care is an umbrella term that includes many different services for elderly adults, including care management and specialized medical care. To learn more about geriatric care and what your parents might need, you might want to talk to the professionals at Elder Care Direction.
What is geriatric care?
There are two primary categories of geriatric care, including care from a doctor who specializes in the elderly population and service coordination by care managers. The care managers and doctors may work together to make certain that the caregivers, family members, and the patient have the same information about the patient’s medications, exercise regimen, dietary needs, daily schedules, and other needs.
Doctors who specialize in geriatric care
Geriatricians are physicians who specialize in providing medical care for the elderly population. Their services are important because as people grow older, their bodies undergo changes. some medications may affect older adults differently than young adults. Some medications may be stronger while others may not be safe or work well any longer. The elderly are more likely to suffer rapid dehydration and delirium when they have infections. Some older adults may also suffer polypharmacy, which is a condition that happens when several doctors prescribe the patient different medications that have bad interactions with each other or that cause confusion.
Geriatricians understand the various factors that are important to the elderly population when they treat patients. The doctors’ care also includes an emotional needs component to help older adults come to terms with the fact that they need extra care. Family members and caregivers work with the geriatricians to make certain that the patients have safe living environments. Older adults who have serious impairments or who are frail because of their health problems should see geriatricians. Family members who are undergoing significant stress because of providing care for their loved ones might also benefit by scheduling appointments for their loved ones with geriatricians. If you are wanting to schedule an appointment for your loved one with a geriatrician, you can ask your family doctor for a referral. You can also search online for doctors in your area who have certifications in geriatrics.
Geriatric care managers
In addition to health care, seniors need other types of care as well. Older adults have safety needs for their living environments and should ideally have a place to live that gives them social contact, regular activity, exercise, and a proper diet.
All of your loved one’s caregivers need to know his or her medication schedule, the medications that he or she is taking, his or her menu plan, his or her daily schedule and the types of behaviors or symptoms that should prompt a call to the doctor. Geriatric care managers can help by facilitating and coordinating communication. Having help can be especially beneficial for people who live far away that have loved ones who have several caregivers and who need round-the-clock care.
Geriatric care managers can also help to find housing, mediate issues between nursing homes and families, hire financial advisors, and find reputable eldercare attorneys. You can ask your doctor for a referral to a good geriatric case manager or talk to the professionals at Elder Care Direction.
Schedule a consultation with Elder Care Direction
Elder Care Direction is comprised of a team of dedicated professionals who are focused on helping elderly adults and their family members with planning and referrals. We can help your family to determine your loved one’s needs and assist you in getting services in place. To learn more, contact us today to schedule a consultation.
