What is a geriatrician, and do you or a loved one need one?

This relatively new subspecialty of internal medicine is bound to become more important as the population ages. Geriatricians, or gerontologists, specialize in the care of people 65 or older. 

They are trained not only in the particular medical problems of aging, but also in care of the whole patient. Anyone who's seen a simple cold or flu send an elderly parent to the hospital knows that very few illnesses are simple after a certain age.

The natural weakening and failing of our body's systems as we age can aggravate one another and bring on catastrophic events, from falling to cancer.

While every doctor should be able to treat older people, a geriatrician should be more sensitive to other issues that can affect health -- whether the patient lives alone or has a supportive social network. They also emphasize prevention and wellness as a way to slow the debilitating effects of aging.

The specialty is well-established in southeast Michigan. Call your local hospital or medical to get a referral, or ask your primary-care physician if he or she thinks a geriatrician is right for you or your loved one.