GERIATRIC HEALTH CARE

TEAM
Prepared By:
ARNELLE L. BALINAO, MAN
INSTRUCTOR
GERIATRICIANS

◦are fully trained physicians, M.D.s or D.O.s, who

specialize in treating the health problems of
elderly patients.
◦To become a geriatrician, a doctor must first
complete a three-year residency and become
board-certified in either internal medicine or
family medicine.
◦
Gerontologists
◦Gerontology is the scientific study of aging, as
well as its effect on individuals and cultures. It's a
multi-disciplinary field, including aspects of
medicine, biology, psychology and sociology
and other sciences.
 SIMILARITIES
◦ Gerontologists and geriatricians
◦ might work side-by-side in research or elder-care facilities,
each bringing specialized knowledge and skills to the plan
of care.
◦ between the two professions is that geriatricians are fully-
trained physicians, and provide direct treatment for age-
related disorders.
◦ might work side-by-side in research or elder-care facilities,
each bringing specialized knowledge and skills to the plan
of care.
 The primary difference:
GERIATRICIAN
◦ Geriatricians, registered nurses,
social workers, psychologists
and other caregivers can earn
credentials in gerontology
through coursework and
continuing education,
broadening and deepening
their skills in caring for the
elderly.
GERONTOLOGIST
◦ play a more supportive and
educational role, though applied
gerontologists might build long-
term relationships with their clients
that include coordinating diet,
exercise and cognitive therapies.
Are Gerontologists doctors?
A gerontology nurse
◦is a nursing specialist who works directly with older
adults to provide them with specialized care and a
high quality of life.
Role of the Geriatric Nurse?
◦A geriatric nurse is a specialist who will help elderly
patients recover from illness or injury by providing
practical care and developing patient care plans.
◦
Geriatric Occupational Therapy for
Older Adults: Treatment Idea
Occupational therapy (OT)
- also designed to assist individuals with valuable
skills they can use to remain independent.
What do you want to do to maintain or
restore your quality of life?
 Geriatric Occupational Therapy for
Older Adults
◦To provide some helpful insight into how OT
operates, consider the scenario of someone
who has suffered from a stroke. (What does an
occupational therapist do?)
◦An article by the American Occupational Therapy
Association (AOTA) demonstrated that stroke
victims who receive regular OT are far more likely to
regain their independence and ability to perform
everyday functions following treatment.

◦As mentioned in another AOTA article, many

patients who participate in occupational therapy
programs also suffer from some degree of
depression.
 The therapist’s role
◦is to facilitate the reintegration process, and to
help the person get back to a healthy physical,
mental, and emotional state.
◦Family caregivers can play a vital role in a loved
one’s recovery by encouraging parents who
may be reluctant to join OT sessions because of
misconceptions concerning its importance.
 Occupational Therapy Treatment Ideas
for Geriatrics
◦One of the most important things you and your
loved one can do before signing up for
geriatric occupational therapy is to have
realistic expectations about how long a
successful recovery will take.
 5 types of occupational therapy
activities for older adults
◦ Relaxation techniques: tensing and releasing muscle groups.
◦ Physical exercises: range of movement, medicine ball training,
and squatting.
◦ Personal activities: personal care, dressing and undressing, and
household tasks.
◦ Cognitive exercises: loud reading, dual task activity, and
neurobic exercise.
◦ Recreational activities: playing indoor games, story telling, and
social events.
 Physical therapists role
◦ play an important role in the care of older adults who have
physical disabilities
◦Treatment is individualized and goal driven,
with appropriate precautions being
followed.
◦Gait training is an integral part of the
treatment process for many older adults
with disabilities, and various assistive
devices may be used to ensure safe
mobility.
 PHYSICAL THERAPISTS
◦ The responsibilities of a physical therapist include:
◦ Consulting with patients to learn about
their physical condition and symptoms.
◦ Diagnosing movement dysfunction and developing a
treatment plan.
◦ Teaching patients how to properly use therapeutic exercise
techniques.
◦ Providing stimulation or massage to promote healing.
◦The goal of physical therapy :
◦for seniors is to make daily tasks
and activities easier. And to
make seniors as independent as
possible.
◦Among the circumstances where physical therapy
can be valuable are for those:
◦A. Recovering from injuries such as a broken hip
◦B. Osteoarthritis
◦C. Pain in all parts of the body such as knee, back,
shoulder, wrist, etc.
◦D. Diabetes
◦E. Parkinson's Disease
◦F. Alzheimer's Disease
◦G. Stroke
◦H. Vertigo
◦i. Incontinence
◦J. Multiple Sclerosis
◦K. Cerebral Palsy
◦And many other conditions
◦The first goal is to reduce pain and swelling if
there is any.
◦Then, a PT will apply various techniques to
increase flexibility, strength, coordination and
balance.
◦Physical therapy has an important role in health
care delivery, and is connected with
maximizing function, preventing decline,
decreasing pain, and treatment
SPEECH THERAPIST
◦The goal of speech therapy for seniors
◦ is to increase functional communication,
cognitive skills and teach safe swallowing by
introducing diet modifications and special
feeding techniques.
◦Seniors may lose their ability to talk or
understand language—a condition known as
aphasia—due to ailments like stroke, Alzheimer's
disease, Parkinson's disease or brain injury.
◦
 NURSING INTERDISCIPLINARY CARE
CONFERENCE TEAM
◦An interdisciplinary approach
involves team members from different
disciplines working collaboratively, with a
common purpose, to set goals, make decisions
and share resources and responsibilities.