A geriatrician is a primary care doctor who specializes in treating older adults. They may provide integrative care, diagnose a variety of conditions, and help you maintain a high quality of life.
Aging may present a unique set of physical, mental, emotional, and social challenges. It’s estimated that by age 80,
Whether you’re approaching retirement age or you’ve been managing a health condition that typically affects older people, there may be good reasons to consider finding a geriatrician in your area. Geriatricians, or geriatric doctors, help older adults — typically those ages 65 and older — stay functional, healthy, and happy.
There’s no specific age to start seeing a geriatrician. Each person’s conditions and needs are unique. However, you might consider seeing a geriatrician if you:
- are living with multiple conditions or diseases
- take multiple medications
- want to help provide additional assistance to your caregivers, family members, and friends
- have reduced mobility or another disability
Read on to learn more about geriatricians and what they do.
Geriatricians are fully trained medical doctors. Their typical training journey includes:
- obtaining a medical degree after completing 4 years of school at a university or college
- completing 3 to 5 years in a full-time residency program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education
- obtaining an unrestricted medical license to practice medicine in the United States or Canada
- passing the Geriatric Medicine Certification Examination, created and administered by the American Board of Internal Medicine
Geriatrician vs gerontologist
It’s important not to confuse geriatricians with gerontologists. Gerontologists study aging from a broad perspective, examining its physical, social, and psychological dimensions. Geriatricians, on the other hand, are doctors who focus specifically on diagnosing, treating, and caring for older adults. In short, gerontology is an interdisciplinary study of aging, while geriatrics is a medical specialty addressing the health needs of older adults.
But geriatrics is an increasingly rare specialty. The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) estimates that there are about 7,000 full-time practicing geriatricians in the United States. However, this isn’t enough, and by 2036, there is expected to be a shortage of 1,700 healthcare professionals in this field.
Here’s what geriatricians do, and why their work in healthcare is important when it comes to caring for older adults.
Diagnose and treat various conditions
A geriatrician will perform functional, cognitive, and physical
Functional status refers to your ability to perform certain tasks on your own, such as:
- eating and drinking
- bathing and dressing
- controlling bowel and bladder movements
- taking medication
- shopping and doing household work
- managing your finances
A cognitive assessment involves looking for signs of conditions such as dementia, insomnia, and depression.
A physical and medical history examination assesses your risk for conditions older adults may experience, such as:
- incontinence
- osteoporosis and osteoarthritis
- hearing and vision loss
- malnutrition
- fall injuries or balance issues
- hypertension
- diabetes
Integrate care
Geriatricians may oversee your general health and help manage your healthcare team, which might include:
- pharmacists
- neurologists
- family members
- nurses
- mental and physical therapists
- social workers
They can help you prioritize treatments if you’re managing several conditions. And, since they’re knowledgeable of complex drug interactions and side effects, they can help you develop a safe and healthy medication plan.
Promote healthy aging
Geriatricians can help you stay active, connected, and healthy.
They can also help you form positive self-perceptions about aging.
Similarly, people with negative self-perceptions or biases about aging may:
- irrationally justify their aches, pains, and illnesses
- expect not to be seen by a medical professional and therefore avoid seeking help
- be less likely to participate in positive activities such as exercise
You can also speak with a geriatrician about how best to navigate tough transitions in your family life, work, or living environment.
Medicare and geriatricians
Original Medicare (Parts A and B) can cover visits to a geriatrician for medically necessary care, preventive screenings, and annual wellness visits.
Medicare Advantage (Part C) offers the same benefits as Original Medicare. You can use Medicare.gov to find geriatric specialists who accept Medicare.
Generally speaking, you might want to consider seeing a geriatric doctor if you are age 65 and older. That said, this really depends on your specific health and circumstances.
A number of physical changes begin to develop as you age. These include, but aren’t limited to:
- weakening of muscle and bone
- vision changes
cognitive changes
In addition, many older adults are living with
When age-related changes start to impact daily life, you might consider seeing a geriatrician. That said, according to the AGS, most people don’t begin to experience a significant impact before age 75.
To find a geriatrician, you can take the same approach as you would to finding any medical specialist. Consider selecting a doctor based on a referral, whether from people you know or by looking at online reviews of specific practitioners.
You can search for geriatricians near you and see their ratings on healthgrades.com. Here are some factors to consider when picking a geriatrician:
Training
Ask prospective doctors about their experience treating older adults and whether they have a board certification in this field.
Access to care
How easy is it for you to see the doctor? Do they offer same-day visits when necessary? Consider their office hours, the available parking facilities, and traffic in the area, as well as whether they have staff available to answer after-hours calls.
You can also ask which hospital they are affiliated with and how the hospital will relay information to the doctor if you’re admitted.
If you have health insurance, reach out to your insurance provider to see whether the doctor you’re interested in seeing is covered through your plan. If you don’t have health insurance or if your plan does not cover the doctor you want to see, you can call the doctor’s office to find out whether they offer payment plans or reduced rates for self-payers.
Communication
Find out whether you’ll receive phone calls, text, or email appointment reminders; whether the doctor offers telehealth appointments in addition to in-person visits; and how you can request prescription refills.
Personality and environment
How does the doctor interact with their healthcare team and with you? How does the rest of the staff treat you? Are they patronizing or kind and supportive? Does the doctor answer your questions directly and thoroughly?
It’s important to ask about their medical philosophy and goals for your health and well-being to ensure that these align with your expectations.
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Geriatricians are medical doctors who specialize in treating conditions that affect older adults. Generally, people are considered older adults at age 65, but you may not need to see a geriatrician until you’re older, depending on your specific health.
As you age, you might notice changes such as weaker muscles and bones, vision or memory problems, the development of chronic illnesses, or side effects from taking multiple medications.
Not everyone will experience all these changes, and every person may experience them at different rates. For this reason, you may consider seeing a geriatric doctor when such changes start to affect your daily life.