What is a Geriatrician?

What is a Geriatrician?

By:  Dr. Ariel Cole, M.D.
Medical Director, Encore At Avalon Park

I read a study recently- they asked random people in a public place to define the word “geriatrician”.  The funniest answer to me was “someone who works at Ben and Jerry’s”!  Much as I love Ben and Jerry’s ice cream, I’d still rather do what I do as a geriatrician- a physician who specializes in the care of older adults.

A geriatrician is a board certified specialist- which means that just like a cardiologist or pulmonologist, a geriatrician does extra training after residency (called a fellowship) and passes an exam.

Why is it important for an elderly patient to see a geriatrician?  It probably is not necessary for every older adult to receive care from a geriatrician.  But those who suffer from the diseases of aging such as dementia or Parkinsons disease, or those who experience a geriatric syndrome, benefit from the care of a geriatrician.  Geriatric syndromes are a number of clusters of symptoms not necessarily caused by a certain disease, such as vision and hearing loss, decline in functional abilities, malnutrition, polypharmacy (taking too many medications), or changes in mood.