Geriatrician: When Is The Right Time To Visit One?
Are you 60 yr and above? You might wonder if you should start visiting a geriatrician than your regular primary care provider. These are family doctors who have got internal training in the health needs of older adults.
Who Is a Geriatrician?
He is a specialist who specializes in the care of people with multiple chronic conditions which cause challenges to daily activities. Most of them work in teams. So along with the doctor, you will see a social level worker, hearing specialist, dietician and other therapists in the same visit. If you can’t travel to a centre where they are available, you should find a centre beforehand which will do a telemedicine consult.
It is better to make visita geriatrician in Kolkata as those elderly who regularly see one are less likely to end up in the hospital. The physicians identify the warning signs early like frailty, weight loss, and are less likely to prescribe risky medicines.
Here are signs which indicate that you should meet a geriatrician immediately:
- Multiple Treatments. Many senior citizens over 62 take medication for various treatments. A large percentage of them may be using herbal or dietary supplements. But if you take more medicines, you are likely to suffer from side-effects. It may lead to complications, where hospitalization may be the only recourse. For the elderly, it is harder to metabolize and clear medicines from the body. The more drugs you take, the more is the risk of their interactions. When you visit a geriatrician, he can review them and decide which one you need and which you don’t need anymore.
- Memory Troubles. Elderly over the age of 65 are likely to have dementia that remains undiagnosed. A visit to geriatrician can help to identify cognitive impairments. These are a precursor to dementia and depression, which is difficult to be diagnosed in the elderly.
- Reduced Mobility. If you are not feeling steady when you are standing or feeling trouble getting around. A geriatrician can assess balance and movement. Visit to a geriatrician can give you balance-strengthening exercises which can be performed in the home. He can also prescribe therapy and arrange a physiotherapist to your home for a fall-risk assessment.
Finally,
Your visit to a geriatrician in Kolkata can reduce the stay in hospital and will make you feel better after discharge. Furthermore, they are less likely to develop complications than those who don’t.