2. Objectives
โข Define geriatrics
โข History of geriatrics
โข Differences between adult and geriatric medicine
โข Types of geriatric specialties
โข Geriatric giants
โข Surgical geriatric specialties
โข Medical conditions
โข Salary Data
โข Employment outlook
โข Achievement in geriatric physical therapy research and
practice.
โข Conclusion
11/3/2009 2
3. Geriatrics is the branch of medicine that focuses on health care
of the elderly. It aims to promote health and to prevent and treat
diseases and disabilities in older adults.
โข There is no set age at which patients may be under
the care of a geriatrician. Rather, this is determined
by a profile of the typical problems that geriatrics
focuses on.
โข People over the age of 65 make up one of the fastest
growing segments of the population of many
industrialized nations. The variation in health, daily
function, cognition, social roles, and living conditions
among these older adults requires that allied health,
medical, social service, social science, health
education, health management, and movement
science professionals develop the competence to
address the unique needs of this age group.
11/3/2009 3
4. History of Geriatrics:
โข โThe Cannon of Medicineโ written by Abu Ali Ibn
Sina in 1025
โข Arabic physician, Ibn Al-Jazzarr Al-Qayrawani
(898-980), addressed sleep disorderss and another
one on forgetfulness and how to strengthen
memory
โข The first modern geriatric hospital
โข "Father" of Geriatrics, Dr. Ignatz Leo Nascher
โข "Mother" of Geriatrics, Dr. Marjorie Warren
โข Most pressing issue facing geriatrics is the
treatment and prevention of delirium
11/3/2009 4
5. Differences between Adult and
Geriatric medicine
โข Geriatrics is the branch of medicine that focuses on
health care of the elderly. It aims to promote health
and to prevent and treat diseases and disabilities in
older adults. The term geriatrics differs from
gerontology which is the study of the aging process
itself.
โข Disease is a medical condition where an abnormal
condition impairs bodily function impairs bodily
functions whether it is physically or psychologically.
โข Functional ability, independence and quality of life
issues are of greater concern to geriatricians, than to
physicians of adults.
11/3/2009 5
6. Geriatric Specialities
โข Geriatric psychiatry or psychogeriatrics (focus on dementia,
delirium, depression and other psychiatric disorders).
โข Cardiogeriatrics (focus on cardiac diseases of elderly)
โข Geriatric nephrology (focus on kidney diseases of elderly)
โข Geriatric Rehabilitation (focus on physical therapy in elderly)
โข Geriatric oncology (focus on tumors in elderly)
โข Geriatric rheumatology (focus on joints and soft tissue disorders
in elderly)
โข Geriatric diagnostic imaging
โข Geriatrics dermatology(focus on skin disorders in elderly)
โข Geriatric subspeciality medical clinics (As Geriatric
Anticoagulation Clinic Geriatric Assessment Clinic, Falls and
Balance Clinic, Continence Clinic, Palliative Care Clinic, Elderly Pain
Clinic, Cognition and Memory Disorders Clinic)
11/3/2009 6
7. Medically Treatment Issues
โข Treating an elderly patient is filled with complications with the
major difference of treating a geriatric patient is that treating an
elderly person sometimes needs to have a guardian or healthy
proxy make the medically decision required for the situation or
treatment required. The issues of power of attorney, privacy, legal
responsibility, advance directives and informed consent must
always be considered in geriatric procedure
โข
โข Geriatric pharmacotherapy(medications)
โข Issues with medications often need to be addressed with the
elderly because of the multiple over the counter medications and
herbs as well as those medications prescribed by their physician.
Many of the drugs that are taken by the elderly have many
contraindications with other medications they may be taking and
react in an adverse way to other medications.
11/3/2009 7
8. โข The presentation of disease in elderly
persons may be vague and non-specific and
may also be a secondary symptom to the
actual cause of the issue. Description of the
disease itself may be the patient not being
able to verbalize or explain the symptoms
due to confusion or delirium caused by the
disease itself.
11/3/2009 8
9. Elderly Disease and the
Geriatric Giants
โข Elderly disease and the geriatric giants
โข Immobility
โข Instability
โข Incontinence
โข Impaired intellectual memory functioning
โข Elderly care
โข Delirium
โข Multiple medications
โข Impaired vision
โข Impaired hearing
11/3/2009 9
10. Surgical specialties directly related to
geriatrics
โข Orthogeriatrics (close cooperation with orthopedic surgery )
โข Geriatric Cardiothoracic Surgery
โข Geriatric Urology
โข Geriatric General Surgery/Trauma
โข Geriatric Gynecology
โข Geriatric Ophthalmology
โข Geriatric Anesthesia (focuses on anesthesia & perioperative care of
elderly)
โข Geriatric Intensive Care Unit: (a special type of intensive care unit
dedicated to citically-ill elderly)
โข Geriatric Nursing (focuses on nursing of elderly patients and the aged).
โข Geriatric Nutrition
โข Geriatric Occupational Therapy(part of Geriatric Rehabilitation)
โข Geriatric Pain Management
โข Geriatric Physical Therapy
11/3/2009 10
12. Geriatric Psychology
โข As society continues to age and more information
becomes clear as to the way the body reacts to time
and the abuse the body takes over time the treatments
of aging and its diseases will become more efficient
and effective. The process of developmental learning
as we age from childhood to adulthood and to the
elderly stages of development has begun theories of
how the brain reacts to those learned processes or
experiences.
โข The experience of physical activity not only proves to
be physically helpful but mentally the mylen sheaths
continue to be activated in brain and thicken, showing
to show a delayed onset of dementia.
11/3/2009 12
13. The College of St. Catherine
Physical Therapist Assistant Program
โข June 2007
โข Employment/Salary Data:
Reported Range of Current Hourly Salaries:
Full time Geriatrics = $17.50 โ $22.50
11/3/2009 13
14. EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK FOR
PHYSICAL THERAPIST ASSISTANTS
โข Employment of physical therapist assistants expected to grow much faster
than the average through the year 2010
โข
โข The large baby-boom generation is entering the prime age for heart
attacks and strokes
โข
โข Medical developments should permit an increased percentage of trauma
victims to survive, creating added demand for therapy services.
โข
โข โPhysical therapist assistant is listed in the Top 100 Occupation List as
number 69th , with a 41.1% increase anticipated between 2000-2010
โข
โข Job outlook for physical therapist assistants is described as โVery Goodโ
11/3/2009 14
15. Minimum Geriatric Competencies
โข Cognitive and behavioral disorders
โข Medication management
โข Self-care capacity
โข Falls, balance, gait disorder
โข Atypical presentation of disease
โข Palliative care
โข Hospital care for elders
โข Health care planning and promotion
11/3/2009 15
16. Awards in geriatric physical therapy
โข Adopt-A-Doc Program
โข Clinical Educator
โข Clinical Excellence
โข Consumer Brochure Contest for Students
โข Distinguished Educator
โข Entrepreneurial Loan
โข Excellence in Research
โข Fellowship for Geriatric Research
โข Joan M. Mills; Outstanding Service
โข Lynn Phillippi; Advocacy
โข Outstanding PTA
โข Previous Award Recipients
โข Student Award for Research
โข Student Membership Award
โข Volunteers in Action
11/3/2009 16
17. Conclusion
โข As the population ages, so does the need for
those trained in the specialized care of the
elderly patient as it applies to the physical
therapy and its treatments required for
quality of life and independent living
activities
11/3/2009 17
18. โข ^ GERIATRICSFOR-SPECIALISTS INITIATIVE (GSI)
โข ^ Increasing Geriatrics Expertise in Surgical and Medical Specialties
โข ^ Howell, Trevor H. (January 1987), "Avicenna and His Regimen of
Old Age", Age and Ageing 16: 58โ9, doi:10.1093/ageing/16.1.58,
PMID 3551552,
http://ageing.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/pmidlookup?view=long&pmid
=3551552
โข ^ Howell TH (1972). "Avicenna and the care of the aged".
Gerontologist 12 (4): 424โ6. PMID 4569393.
โข ^ Pitskhelauri GZ, Dzhorbenadze DA (1970). "[Gerontology and
geriatrics in the works of Abu Ali Ibn Sina (Avicenna) (on the 950th
anniversary of the manuscript, Canon of Medical Science)]" (in
Russian). Sov Zdravookhr 29 (10): 68โ71. PMID 4931547.
11/3/2009 18