Here’s the reality most people find shocking: Working with a geriatrician might be the best thing you can do to feel as young as possible for as long as possible.
If you’re resisting the thought of replacing your regular doctor with a geriatric physician, consider the statistics. Older adults who work with geriatric care professionals experience:
- 56% fewer incidents of depression,
- 40% fewer home health services
- 33% less likely to become disabled
These are stunning results!
If you still aren’t convinced, here’s something else you need to know. The American Geriatric Society publishes a list of medications that should not be given to seniors unless absolutely necessary. This list, known as the Beers Drug List, classifies drugs into categories based on conditions they treat. These medications should be prescribed to older adults only under the strict supervision of a doctor, such as a geriatrician or internist with a specialty in geriatrics. Yet physicians who are unaware of the adverse effects of these drugs on older adults routinely prescribe these medications without any supervision. A study from Brown University’s Alpert Medical School, which looked at 6 million men and women who were enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans, found that one out of five seniors were prescribed medications from drugs listed as high risk for this age group.
If your insurance covers it and you’re over 65, find a board-certified geriatrician to serve as your primary care physician. You’ll be glad you did.
