Medical care for older adults

The Medical Consultation for the Elderly aims to ensure that the patient reaches the highest possible level of independence and autonomy, so that he or she can have a self-sufficient life. It seeks that the elderly can remain in their usual environment, living in their own home.

What is Geriatrics?

  Geriatrics is the specialization of medicine that sees diseases of old age. This medical branch is dedicated to diagnosing, treating, curing, and preventing disorders that affect individuals in old age.

This specialty studies, prevents, diagnoses and treats diseases of older adults; it focuses not only on the disease, but also on the overall health of the older adult.

Geriatrics are the result of the recognition that old age is not in itself a disease, but a period of life cycle.

Geriatrics is the medical branch dedicated to the care of older adults that deals with preventive, therapeutic, rehabilitative and paliative aspects integrating social and family aspects. It provides tools for the care of the elderly sick in acute, subacute and chronic stages.

Its fundamental objective is to preserve the autonomy and self-value of the. elderly, using approaches that integrate the most prevalent diseases, the most disabled and those that condition dependence. With a horizon dominated by chronic pathology, geriatrics propose better ways to manage the disease by designing progressive care models in which both the multidisciplinary health team, the elderly, the family and the entire society participate.

Medical care for the elderly

The objectives

• Management of common conditions of older adults, included in geriatric syndromes: dementia, delirium, depression, falls, gait and balance disorders, sleep disorders, incontinence, functional dependence, malnutrition, oral and dental disorders, pain, fragility, syncope, among others.
• Chronic disease management for priority conditions in older adults: diabetes, metabolic syndrome, heart failure, cancer.
• Recognition of the heterogeneity and complexity of the aging process and its outcomes. Healthy adulto major, early fragilization, risk of disability, terminal disease.
• Understanding and recognizing the interaction between aging, disease, clinical status and patient functional status.
• Understanding the appropriate use of medicines.
• Coordination of care among all potential providers in order to maintain functional independence and quality of life.
• Evaluation and organization of social and health services, to promote the productivity and social inclusion of older adults.
• Assistance for family members and caregivers, who face decisions and care related to functional decline; loss of autonomy, care provision and challenges imposed by terminal illness.
• Insertion of the elderly into the community.

Types of aging

Ideal ageing

This is when the health condition is very good and the risk factors are low. The adult is able to perform activities of daily life. It is self-sufficient and you do not suffer from chronic diseases. He has no cognitive impairment, perceives his health as good, does not smoke and does not drink?

 Active ageing

It is when there is a very good health and medium or high risk factors. The adult has a chronic illness? He perceives his health as regular, has some difficulty in performing activities of daily life although he is independent, does not suffer cognitive impairment.

The ageing of the child The ageing ageing of the child The ageing ageing ageing age

This is when the health status is regular and the risk factors are medium or low. The person has more than one chronic disease, has limitations on daily life activities with functional disability, although he remains independent; mild cognitive impairment or none?

Pathological aging

It is when the health state is regular with high risks; or, a bad health state regardless of risk factors. The person has chronic diseases; poor self-perception of health, suffering cognitive impairment, has disability and is most likely dependent on third parties.

Doctor for the elderly

Doubts often arise. When is an elderly person a geriatric patient? We believe that it will depend heavily on the needs of each patient. There's no secret? We tend to relate it above all to the physical, cognitive, emotional and social functionality of the person.

You should not expect to lean on a cane or walker to go to the medical clinic for the elderly and start preventing age-specific diseases. By the time you turn 50, everyone must start the. geriatric consultationBecause there you go, you learn how to take care of yourself, so that when you're 80 years old, it's still functional;.  If that care begins late, such a decline cannot be reversed.

When to go to the medical clinic for the elderly?

• Over 65 years old. In them it is necessary to focus personal preventive activities to achieve successful aging. Annual monitoring allows for the recommendation of lifestyles, nutrition, physical exercise and mental activity; and personalized tests and vaccines specific to this group of patients. It also allows early detection of memory loss and cognitive capacity, negligible loss of functionality and alertness to the presence of signs and symptoms that predict the onset of diseases.

• Over 65 years old. It is recommended to go to the geriatrician when you are with more than three chronic diseases; and usually take more than five different drugs. ? The focus in these patients is to avoid the interaction of medications that cause adverse events. I know I recommend activities to prevent disease progression, or to add complications, maintaining the ability to function autonomously.
• Patients over 80 years of age, with or without chronic pathology. These patients have decreased physiological capacities;. are exposed to acute diseases that easily need hospitalization for improvement.
• Patients with diseases typical of aging, such as dementia, urinary incontinence, gait disorders and osteoporosis, among others.
• Older adults institutionalized in rest homes.

If you are in these groups or any family member do not delay scheduling your appointment with the geriatrician, to age with quality of life.