What Is a Geriatrician?

Article submitted by Dr. Paul Roller, Brookwood Medical Center.
For more information, he can be reached at 205-877-1000.

I am often asked, "What kind of physician are you?" When I say with a grin, " I am a Geriatrician." This is often followed by, "What is a Geriatrician?" I typically reply "I am the opposite of a pediatrician; they care for young children and I take care of senior citizens. " The response is usually, "Bless you".

But in truth, the similarities are striking.

The pediatrician is trained in monitoring the special needs of children and their diseases. As a geriatrician, I received two additional years of fellowship training to learn more about the special intricacies of the elderly and their health care needs.

Like a pediatrician who gives immunizations and early health education, our job at the Brookwood Seniors Health Center is to provide flu shots and pneumonia vaccines, to recommend mammograms, colonoscopies and prostate exams and of course educate our patients on how best to deal with the chronic diseases associated with aging.

A pediatrician must be careful when prescribing medications, which may not be suitable for children. Geriatric patients also pose a prescribing challenge. Typically these patients are already taking multiple medications, any of which could interact with a new prescription. An older person has less tolerance to medications and like children, needs lower doses and more consideration of medication choices.

Patients at a pediatrician's office are often wearing diapers. In my office, well, it's depends.

Patients that visit the pediatrician are almost certainly accompanied by a parent. Like wise, at the most Seniors Center, the parents are the patients and are followed into the exam room by their children!

The pediatrician has the privilege of caring for a new life and nurturing a growing child. As a geriatrician, I have the privilege of ushering a grandmother into the final stages of life and often nurturing a dying patient and their family.

Geriatric medicine is a unique and rewarding specialty. We look at the patient with the disease rather than the age of the patient. Chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, arthritis and dementia are common and debilitating to our patients. Our goal is to view the entire patient, not just their medical problems and to create a plan to ensure that patient is able to maintain the best function possible. No, we don't often cure these problems, but we are able to prevent further decline and hopefully alleviate suffering.

So next time the children go to the pediatrician, think about what it would be like to visit a clinic that specializes in your (or your parents or grandparents) needs.