Geriatricians: providing good care for elderly patients

The word "geriatrics" means something like "geriatric medicine". Geriatricians deal with the specific health problems and needs of the elderly. Older people often have several illnesses at once, react differently to therapies and have a higher risk of complications. It is therefore a good idea for a doctor specialising in geriatrics to take care of these patients and coordinate the various treatments and measures for rehabilitation in a sensible way. This article provides an overview of geriatrics and shows you how you can specialise in this field after your medical studies.

The special features of patients in geriatric medicine

The technical term "multimorbidity" explains what is a frequent problem in a geriatric department: often the patient has not just one illness, but "a bit of everything". It is then necessary to optimally coordinate the entire team responsible for the patient's treatment. The goals of treatment are also often different in geriatrics. For example, a patient who has been bedridden for 5 years will not normally become more mobile with a new hip, which is why it would not be appropriate to expect them to undergo such an operation.

Multimorbidity

Older people often suffer from several illnesses at the same time. It is therefore particularly important to plan the treatment of those affected carefully, set priorities and prevent the treatment of one illness from hindering the treatment of another problem.

Taking several medications

At an advanced age, many patients take several medications on a regular basis. This is associated with a considerable risk of unwanted interactions. The geriatrician must carefully consider this and, if necessary, draw up medication plans in collaboration with the individual doctors in the various specialist departments that take the various illnesses into account.

Reduced resilience

Physical and often also mental resilience decreases with age. This requires special therapeutic approaches and adjustments in treatment. The aim is to support patients as much as possible and enable them to lead an active and independent life.

Dementia and other cognitive impairments

When the memory of older people deteriorates, this may be due to dementia. Other cognitive problems also occur more frequently. For example, attention, orientation or language may be impaired. Difficulties in planning and carrying out everyday tasks are also not uncommon. This can go so far as to result in a need for care. Patients need to be well cared for by teams from different specialisms, which the geriatrician can initiate.

Slower recovery

Older patients often recover much more slowly from illnesses and injuries. Early rehabilitation is therefore particularly important in geriatrics: rehabilitation measures should begin as soon as possible after the acute illness or injury in order to maintain the patient's physical and mental ability to function.

Social isolation

Social isolation is often a problem for older people. Geriatric medicine therefore also takes social aspects into account and offers support through social services and work with relatives. The aim is to ensure that the person concerned continues to have someone to talk to and does not become isolated.

Increased risk of falling

A fall can suddenly change the lives of older people. If those affected have to stay in hospital for a longer period of time after an injury and are bedridden in particular, changes can follow in many other areas.

It is therefore all the more important to deal well with the increased risk of falling. To minimise the risk, it is important to keep a close eye on the coordination and strength of geriatric patients. If necessary, physiotherapy and targeted training programmes help to improve and maintain the patient's mobility.

Finding customised solutions

In geriatrics, it is important to find individualised solutions for each patient that suit their situation. The aim of a geriatric assessment is to identify the exact needs of older people so that the treatment of illnesses can be optimally tailored to the patient's health.

The team of various specialists, therapists and nursing staff can thus work hand in hand and provide patients with the help they really need.

What is geriatric research concerned with?

Geriatric medicine focuses on the special health needs of older people. Therapy concepts are often designed for younger patients, who often have completely different physical capabilities and in most cases recover more quickly.

One of the aims of geriatric research is to develop therapies and treatment methods that take into account typical age-related changes. Improving the diagnosis of age-related diseases also plays an important role

Geriatrics in patient care

The quality of life of elderly patients should be improved through treatment that is specifically tailored to the patient and the appropriate rehabilitation measures. Your expertise as a geriatrician is required for this in clinics and in GP care.

Clinics

A large clinic usually has one or more departments for geriatrics. The age of the patient is not the only decisive factor for admission to this branch of the clinic. As a rule, the main question is whether there are multiple disabilities or illnesses with which the specialisms aimed at younger patients might otherwise be overwhelmed.

General practitioner care

One of the aims of geriatrics is for patients to be treated by their trusted GP. This is another reason why it is good to see more GPs specialising in this area of medicine.

Geriatrics and death

Probably the most important goal of geriatric medicine is to improve the quality of life of patients until the end of their lives. To this end, doctors tailor treatment and rehabilitation precisely to the individual patient. Dealing with the need for care and supporting relatives also play an important role in this context.

Ultimately, the end of life is also part of the medical profession, which is particularly evident in geriatrics. The integration of palliative care at the appropriate time is therefore also one of the key aspects of this speciality.

How to become a specialist in geriatrics

If you want to specialise in geriatrics as a doctor, you must first complete your medical degree, which usually takes six years. You then need to complete specialist training in an area of direct patient care. This is often internal medicine, but also general medicine, Surgery or psychiatry are possible. This specialist training is followed by 18 months of additional training in geriatrics.

Future prospects for geriatrics

As the average age of the population increases, so does the need for appropriately specialised medical disciplines. Both in rehabilitation and for the actual treatment of age-related illnesses, it is becoming increasingly important to have a department that can cater to the special needs of older people.

Interdisciplinary teams are working to maintain patients' independence. Research is increasingly investigating the interactions between medications, so that in future there will probably be more knowledge and possibilities for combining different preparations.

Geriatrics also offers interesting future prospects for you as a doctor. It is to be expected that more clinics will be looking for specialised geriatricians in the future, making it easy for you to find a good position.