What is a Geriatrician?

Article submitted by Bonnie Howard, MBA/MHA, Executive Director of the Arizona Geriatrics Society and the Arizona Medical Directors Association.
For more information, she can be reached by email at askus@arizonageriatrics.org.

A geriatrician is a physician who provides patient and family-centered care, to improve function, delay disability and provide care consistent with the patient's goals and values. A geriatrician is specially trained to prevent and manage the unique and often multiple health problems of older adults. Since older adults tend to react to illness and disease differently than younger persons, geriatricians have been educated on the specific syndromes older patients experience as well as how to manage complex and often multiple medical problems. Geriatricians use their expertise to develop care plans that help the older adult function successfully.

Generally, geriatricians are primary care physicians who are board-certified in either Family Practice or Internal Medicine and have also acquired the additional training necessary to obtain a Subspecialty Certificate in Geriatric Medicine. A physician desiring the certificate will complete a Fellowship Training, a period of training, usually 1-2 years. Other health care professionals who work on a geriatrics team, such as nurses, pharmacists and physical therapists, may have advanced training and hold special certifications in geriatrics. The body of knowledge studied by Geriatricians is described by the areas that define geriatrics as a specialty, including among many others, falls and frailty, delirium, depression and substance abuse, elder abuse and neglect.

Who Needs to See a Geriatrician?
According to the Alliance for Aging Research, the average 75-year old person has three chronic medical conditions and uses five prescription drugs, as well as multiple over-the-counter remedies. It's important to have a physician who is knowledgeable about the aging process and family physicians and internists are very well trained to take care of senior citizens. The geriatrician can provide primary care and consultation for his colleagues from internal medicine or family practice. So it's really not necessary to change doctors when you reach a certain age. It's just important to make sure that your physician does have an interest in the aging process, and that they keep up to date. As part of a 'whole-picture' approach, geriatricians frequently consult with a healthcare team to intervene when a bad situation threatens an older person's independence.

About The American Geriatrics Society
Founded in 1942, the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) - www.americangeriatrics.org - is the nation's leading non-profit association of geriatrics health care professionals dedicated to improving the health, independence, and quality of life of all older people. The Society supports this mission in many ways, including activities in: clinical practice, professional education, research, public education and information through the AGS Foundation for Health in Aging, public policy efforts, and through partnerships with other organizations.

About The Arizona Geriatrics Society
The Arizona Geriatrics Society (AzGS) is the state chapter of AGS. For over 17 years, the Society has provided continuing education conferences, a peer-reviewed quarterly journal and newsletter and membership for healthcare professionals caring for older adults in our area.