What are geriatric services?
Geriatric services are the help and support the team at Complete Health Medical P.C. provides to seniors in their later years. There’s no specific age at which you become geriatric, as the health of older people can vary enormously.
Some put the typical age at around 65, but many people are hale and hearty well into their 80s and beyond. On the other hand, some people in their early 60s have problems associated with being geriatric.
Geriatric patients are increasingly susceptible to illness and injury with advancing age. They also lose physical strength, leading to infirmity.
What health problems do geriatric patients commonly have?
Around half of those older than 65 have two or more chronic health problems that need expert management. These conditions typically include:
- Heart disease
- Cancer
- Diabetes
- Osteoarthritis
- Hypertension
- Osteoporosis
- Dementia
- Parkinson’s disease
- Stroke
- Incontinence
- Chronic pain
In addition to these conditions, you might be struggling with other health problems and deteriorating faculties. Older people tend to develop vision and hearing difficulties, and find it increasingly hard to get around.
Losing your ability to continue participating in activities you enjoy and finding you can no longer cope with simple everyday tasks can also lead to anxiety and depression. People who have mobility problems might find themselves becoming socially isolated if they’re unable to get out and about.
What geriatric services are available?
The Complete Health Medical P.C. team provides comprehensive services for geriatric patients. Among the services they offer are:
Medication management
Ensuring you’re taking medicines that work and genuinely help you while avoiding side effects can make a significant difference to your overall health.
Diet and exercise planning
Understanding your nutritional needs as you get older can be difficult, and finding ways to exercise safely can also be problematic. The Complete Health Medical P.C. team provides you with all the information you need to eat a healthy, well-balanced diet and exercise regularly.
Management of chronic conditions
Given that so many geriatric patients have one or more chronic health problems, one of the most effective ways of staying healthy is for the Complete Health Medical P.C. team to make sure any health problems you have are well managed and monitored.
Flu shots
Geriatric people are more vulnerable to the effects of infectious diseases like the flu. Having a flu shot every year helps protect you against the dominant flu virus strains, preventing not only flu but common complications of flu in the elderly, like pneumonia, that could be life-threatening.
Diabetic feet exams
As you age, you’re more likely to experience complications of diabetes like diabetic peripheral neuropathy. This condition can make you lose sensation in your feet, so you don’t notice injuries.
Coupled with the circulation problems that diabetes causes, these wounds can get infected, leading to ulcers that are hard to heal. Foot and leg amputation is a genuine risk when you have diabetes, but the Complete Health Medical P.C. team can prevent and treat foot problems with regular foot exams.
If you would like to find out more about healthy aging, call Complete Health Medical P.C. today or book an appointment online.
