It can be difficult to watch an elderly family member struggle with age-related health issues. If you’re looking for someone to care for your parents or someone you know, you need a doctor you can trust. As a family medicine specialist, Javier Rios, MD, and his team at Tucson Clinica Medica Familiar can provide quality care for your elderly loved one with respect and compassion. For individualized geriatric care, call the Tucson, Arizona, office or book an appointment online today.
Geriatrics is the branch of medicine concerned with the health and well-being of the elderly. Geriatric healthcare providers deal with diseases and conditions common with age, while also seeking to address patients’ mental, social, and emotional needs.
Although there’s no specific age at which geriatric care begins, most geriatric patients are 75 or older and have three or more medical problems.
Often, the complications that come with multiple treatments and medications require a professional healthcare provider with specific training and qualifications.
Specific conditions more common for the elderly include:
As people age, their chances of developing chronic diseases and conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and arthritis increase. They often deal with managing medications and treatments for multiple chronic conditions.
You might need a geriatric professional if you or a family member is dealing with the following issues:
Most importantly, when you’re finding it stressful to keep up with your own or your loved one’s multiple medications and doctors, it’s probably time to seek a geriatric physician.
The team at Tucson Clinica Medica Familiar has the additional training necessary to deal with the unique needs of the elderly. They take the time to evaluate each situation while also considering the patient’s preferences.
In managing geriatric care, your provider considers a number of issues, including:
They also evaluate the patient’s ability to perform daily personal tasks such as bathing and dressing. If necessary, they refer the patient to a physical therapist or to specialists who can address vision or hearing impairment.
Patient and caregiver education might include tips for preventing falls and for relieving common physical problems such as constipation or unintentional weight loss. Your provider might also suggest safe exercises for improving strength and flexibility.
Trust the team at Tucson Clinica Medica Familiar to provide quality geriatric care for you or your loved one. Call the office or book an appointment online today.
