Geriatrics – Treatment, Effects & Risks
Geriatrics
Geriatrics is a complex and very lively field in the medical field . Holistic diagnoses and therapy concepts, adapted to the respective person, are created. But what is the term “geriatrics” and which specialist areas does it cover?
What is geriatrics?
The term geriatrics is derived from the Greek and refers to geriatric medicine or geriatric medicine . It is the study of the diseases of aging people. The age of a geriatric patient is over 70 years. An attempt is made to restore the health and well-being of the patient through the diagnoses. Independence and mobility are also trained, as is mental vitality.
At an age of over 80 years, the geriatric patient is treated for age-related comorbidities and complications. The term is used in areas of internal medicine , neurology , orthopedics and psychology . This branch of medicine deals primarily with normal to pathological, mental and physical processes.
Treatments & Therapies
Geriatric medicine is a medical specialty that deals with various diseases that occur in old age. The organ medicine treatment will be overlapped and the quality of life of the people will be preserved.The list of diseases that can be associated primarily with old age is long. But not every disease that an old person has is a disease of old age . Arteriosclerosis , the term for hardening of the arteries, which is associated with heart attacks , strokes and arterial occlusive diseases ( e.g. thrombosis ) is one of the most common diseases. Of course, an unhealthy lifestyle also contributes to this.
Osteoarthritis , joint wear and tear that occurs as a result of overuse, is manifested by pain during movement. Joint effusion and deformation are consequences of this. Osteoporosis can also be a key factor in developing osteoarthritis. If the bone density is too low, the musculoskeletal system , in this case the human skeleton , collapses.
The treatment area of geriatrics also ranges from diabetes mellitus , dementia , age-related depression to cancer and Parkinson’s disease . As a result of aging, so-called age syndromes occur, as the accumulation of individual symptoms that occur from the age of 60. In geriatrics there is a decline in intelligence as a result of dementia, impaired brain performance with increasing impairment of our senses, instability with a high risk of falling, incontinence of the intestines and bladder and the gradual breakdown of tissue fluid ( exsiccosis ).
This combination makes it more difficult for older people to cope with everyday life. At the first signs, it is necessary to carry out diagnostics and develop a therapy plan. If there is no early therapy in these stages, even the smallest deterioration in a final phase can mean decompensation (the patient’s body can no longer compensate for a malfunction of an organ system). Early rehabilitation treatment is for patients who are not yet suitable for further rehabilitation measures. This is particularly often used in patients with heart disease , after fractures, in chronic lung diseases and in patients who have had a cerebral hemorrhage .
The patient receives care from a doctor, a physiotherapist or occupational therapist , a speech therapist , social services and trained nursing staff. Psychological support is also available. In addition to medication, ultrasound devices for heat treatment are also used to treat pain . The Galileo training system is used to prevent falls, but also to build muscle and treat osteoporosis. When administering medication, it should be noted that the risk of interactions and side effects is particularly high, since several medications have to be taken at the same time during the day.
A team of scientists has created a drug list that lists the potentially dangerous drugs. The so-called “Priscus list” offers doctors and patients the opportunity to check their medication. Due to the extensive, inpatient and outpatient options, geriatrics has a high priority in today’s medical care.
Diagnosis & examination methods
The “Geriatric Assessment” was introduced in order not to overlook any interactions due to damage to individual organ systems. It guides the doctor step by step through the examination and is intended to make it easier to clarify unclear symptoms. There are various assessment sets that can be used either at home, in a day clinic, in a hospital or in a nursing home.
A person’s strengths are catalogued, the need for assistance is weighed up and, if necessary, a care plan for a targeted intervention is drawn up.
The examination starts with a screening: a questionnaire is used to look for problems in the area of vision and hearing , the mobility of arms and legs is analysed, nutrition is discussed, possible incontinence is recorded and the emotional state of the patient is recorded psychologically. If problem areas are already identified in the initial screening, a basic assessment follows.
The basic assessment is used to determine the Barthel Index (evaluation method for everyday skills). A memory test according to Folstein ( mini mental status test ), a depression test according to Yesavage, a mobility test according to Tinetti, a clock sign test and a “timed up and go test” are also carried out. The “Timed up and go test” tests the patient’s mobility and the associated risk of falling. The clock sign test is primarily used to clarify a dementia disease that may be present. The measurement of hand strength and a social questionnaire are part of the basic assessment.
A screening takes between five and ten minutes, with the basic assessment taking over an hour. The patient is generally interviewed by a doctor or a trained non-medical staff. The patient is only allowed to fill out the depression questionnaire himself. After the results of the basic assessment, therapeutic consequences are discussed.
Hello! I am Lisa Newlon, and I am a medical writer and researcher with over 10 years of experience in the healthcare industry. I have a Master’s degree in Medicine, and my deep understanding of medical terminology, practices, and procedures has made me a trusted source of information in the medical world.