Geriatric Medicine

Summary

This article discusses what exactly Geriatric medicine is and the ways it is used in caring for elderly individuals in nursing homes or assisted living centers. The different types of geriatric care are listed as well as ways that over-medication can occur in geriatric medicine. This type of negligence should never occur, and information is provided if your loved one has been a victim of this type of negligence or if they are not receiving the type of geriatric care they deserve.

Geriatric Medicine

The term Geriatrics refers to the type of care specifically for elderly individuals. Unlike health care for younger individuals and adults, geriatric medicine differs greatly. In elderly individuals, the function of the organ systems and immune systems are greatly diminished due to their age. Therefore a distinctly different type of care is required to ensure that your loved one does not suffer from any sort of disease or illness as a result of this decline in organ and immune system function. As with adult care and child health care, there are many different types of medical care under the label of geriatric medicine. These include:

Geriatric psychiatry - (medical care for dementia, delirium, depression and other psychiatric disorders).
Cardiogeriatrics - (medical care for cardiac diseases of the elderly)
Geriatric nephrology - (medical care for kidney diseases of the elderly)
Geriatric dentistry - (medical care for dental disorders of the elderly)
Geriatric Rehabilitation - (medical care for physical therapy for the elderly)
Geriatric oncology - (medical care for tumors in elderly individuals)
Geriatric rheumatology - (medical care for joints and soft tissue disorders in elderly individuals)
Geriatric neurology - (medical care for neurological disorders in elderly individuals)

In nursing homes and assisted living centers in the Maricopa County area, these types of medical care should be at the forefront of care for elderly individuals living in these facilities. Failure to provide this type of care for your loved ones can result in dangerous and often fatal effects. Functionality, independence and quality of life are among the many matters that should be of greater concern to geriatricians perhaps than to adult physicians. If you believe the physicians or doctors caring for your loved one are neglecting to provide geriatric care for your loved ones, you are entitled to compensation for any resulting damages.

However, in caring for your loved one, physicians or doctors may prescribe various medications which, if not taken into consideration in relation to other medications, can be equally as dangerous as not getting any care at all. While geriatric medicine is an absolute necessity in ensuring the quality of life for the elderly, over-medicating is also a major concern in geriatric medicine. This type of negligence should not occur by any means and if it has, you and your loved ones should be properly compensated for any resulting damages.

Contact an Arizona Nursing Home Advocate Attorney

Geriatric medicine is not always provided to residents of nursing homes or assisted living centers when it is necessary. In addition, over-medicating occurs just as frequently among elderly individuals and is equally as dangerous as no care at all. An Arizona Attorney in the Tempe, Phoenix, Mesa, Scottsdale and Maricopa County communities can provide legal information if you believe your loved one has suffered from a reduced quality of life or illness as a result of negligence and either over-medicated geriatric medical care or no medical care at all. For more information see www.nursinghomeadvocates.com.