Presentation by Primary Information Services www.primaryinfo.com mailto:primaryinfo@gmail.com

1. Geriatric Clinic
sustainability
Presentation by
Primary Information Services
www.primaryinfo.com
mailto:primaryinfo@gmail.com

2. “Geriatrics is multifaceted and requires complex care systems to meet seniors’

3. GERIATRICIAN
Geriatricians take an interdisciplinary
approach to health care. A geriatrician is
trained to ask comprehensive questions
about a senior’s overall quality of life-not just
about their particular medical issue-to
develop a personalized plan of geriatric care.
For example, if a senior is complaining of
back problems, a geriatrician will ask how
that is impacting their life. Often, rather than
just seeing a specialist to deal with the pain,
what the senior really needs is help around
the house, cleaning, or grocery shopping.
A geriatrician will then work with a team of
nurse practitioners, psychiatrists, surgical
specialists, pharmacists, social workers, and
physical and occupational therapists to make
sure their patient gets exactly the right kind
of help.

4. A geriatrician is a medical
doctor trained in providing
clinical care for adults 65
years and older. She or he can
be either a family practice or
internal medicine physician,
but has additional training in
geriatric care.

5. “Seniors see, on
average, 12 different
physicians a year. But,
that can be a recipe
for disaster. They
really need a medical
home to help them
coordinate the care
they need,”

6. AUDIOLOGIST
Seniors may see an audiologist to diagnose and
treat hearing loss. It is estimated that hearing
loss affects about 30% of people over age 65
and half of people in their 80s. The University of
Florida reports it is the third most common
chronic condition in seniors. Left untreated,
hearing loss can contribute to depression and
social isolation.

7. CARDIOLOGIST
A physician that a senior is likely to see at some point is
a cardiologist. A cardiologist is an internal medicine
physician who specializes in the diagnosis and
treatment of disorders of the heart and blood vessels.
A senior may be referred to a cardiologist if they have
coronary artery disease, heart failure, valvular heart
disease or a congenital heart defect. A cardiologist may
recommend a patient receive medication or a
pacemaker or defibrillator to maintain their heart’s
normal electrical rhythm.

8. ENDOCRINOLOGISTS
If your parent has adult onset diabetes, chances are
they will see an endocrinologist to help manage it.
Endocrinologists specialize in the diagnosis and
treatment of disorders of the endocrine system,
which includes various hormones and glands such as
the thyroid, pancreas, and adrenal glands. Type 2
diabetes can worsen the symptoms of other health
problems occurring in seniors, so it’s important that
diabetes is managed well.

9. FAMILY PRACTICE PHYSICIAN
If your doctor isn’t a geriatrician, she or he may be a family practice physician,who provides
broad-based medical care for all ages, from youth to seniors. Many families prefer to have one
family practice doctor familiar with the whole family’s needs. Family practice physicians can
handle most of a patient’s routine medical care without referring out to specialists. For example,
they could take care of minor dermatological problems without having to refer patients to a
dermatologist.

10. GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRIST
A geropsychiatrist, also known as a geriatric
psychiatrist is a medical doctor trained to
evaluate, diagnose, and treat the mental
health needs and specific syndromes faced by
older adults. While many psychiatrists can
provide help to seniors, geropsychiatrists
have specialized training in senior care. They
may prescribe medications and can also
provide counseling.

11. GERONTOLOGIST
A gerontologist may be a part of this team.
Gerontologists study aging, but provide
non-clinical geriatric care, such as social
work. Gerontologists study the mental,
physical, and social changes in people as
they age, and how that affects society as a
whole. They then use that knowledge to
affect programs and policies.

12. INTERNIST
Instead of a family practice physician,
patients may prefer an internist. An
internist is a medical doctor trained in
the diagnosis and non-surgical
treatment of diseases in adults
(internal medicine). Internists may
have subspecialties in allergy and
immunology, cardiology (heart),
endocrinology (hormone disorders),
hematology (blood disorders),
infectious diseases, gastroenterology
(diseases of the gut), nephrology
(kidney diseases), oncology (cancer),
pulmonology (lung disorders), and
rheumatology (arthritis and
musculoskeletal disorders).