Geriatric Care

Geriatric care is the name for the specialized health and wellness services
provided to the elderly. As our population becomes increasingly older, the
need for this type of care has become more important.

Senior parents and other aging loved ones often require specialized health
attention. Acquiring optimal health and wellness for geriatric patients
involves more than prescribing medication. Effective care entails teamwork
between health professionals and caregivers. Both come together to manage
health conditions and provide a safe, positive environment for their
seniors.

Many health problems occur or intensify due to the aging process. In many
cases, health problems can be complicated by additional declines in
physical or mental abilities. This often leads to a spiral where the
patient isn’t able to keep up with their own care and negative health
episodes become more likely or frequent.

At Alpharetta Roswell Family Practice, our goal is to manage Geriatric Care
by a two fold approach: Geriatric Medicine and Geriatric Care Management.

Geriatric Medicine

This involves identifying the medical conditions affecting the patient and
setting the necessary medications for properly treating.

In addition to treating specific diseases among patients, in geriatric
care, it is necessary to look at a broader range of issues that could
affect treatment methods and plans. Some of these conditions include:

- Delirium – confusion or re-occurring mental disruptions
- Dementia – decline in memory or judgment
- Falls – the primary cause of fatal and non-fatal injury in seniors
- Incontinence – the inability to control bodily elimination
- Polypharmacy – possible negative interactions between drugs

Geriatric Care Management

This involves forming a plan for the caregiver’s role in regards to the
geriatric patient. In many instances, patients in geriatric care are
helped by family members or enrolled in professional home care services
when needed. Regardless of who is supervising the care, there may be a list
of things which need to be planned out in geriatric care. This will
involve open communication between providers and caregiver's to ensure that
the geriatric patient has the best plan moving forward and is placed in
optimal surroundings based on their situation. This includes forming a
plan for:

- Meals – diet supervision and scheduling
- Medications – up-to-date lists and schedules
- Socialization – keeping the patient from isolation
- Prevention – understanding symptoms that could need attention

The provider will take into account many factors when treating
the geriatric patient. We must also focus on the emotional needs of these
patients and their families who are coming to terms with the need for extra
care when setting up a plan.