• Any Query
  • About Us
Healing X Change

  • Health
  • Anti-aging
  • Back Pain
  • Exercises
  • Diabetes
  • Hair Care
  • Weight Loss
  • Home
  • Health
  • The Emerging Specialty of Geriatric Emergency Medicine

The Emerging Specialty of Geriatric Emergency Medicine

Cynthia Richardson
August 10, 2019 Comments Off on The Emerging Specialty of Geriatric Emergency Medicine

Treating geriatric patients in the emergency room a decade ago was barely discernible from treating any other patients. Doctors and nurses didn’t necessarily acknowledge the special needs of geriatric patients. Things have since changed. Thanks to the emerging specialty of geriatric emergency medicine, doctors are beginning to think of their older patients in more well-defined terms.

According to a July 29 Stanford Medicine report, geriatric emergency medicine is a relatively new specialty. It is a specialty that focuses on the unique needs of patients over the age of 65. It is one that seeks to reduce hospital admissions while still meeting patient needs in a comprehensive and caring way.

Geriatric Needs Differ

Stanford’s Dr. Nida Degesys says that geriatric patients are different from a clinical perspective. For starters, they often present disease differently than younger patients. Their bodies take longer to heal. Because of their age, geriatric patients don’t necessarily respond to treatment the same way as a younger patient would.

Degesys says that it can be more difficult to treat geriatric patients because they are more reluctant to be open. For example, although a patient might be experiencing pain after a fall, he/she might also be reluctant to say anything about it. The doctor is left to guess.

In terms of their specific needs, geriatric patients are more likely to injure themselves in falls. According to the CDC:

  • 20% of falls result in serious injury
  • 3 million seniors are treated in EDs for falls every year
  • 800,000 seniors are hospitalized for injuries related to falls
  • more than 95% of all hip fractures are the result of falling.

If falling and its subsequent injuries are not problematic enough, Degesys says that geriatric patients are at greater risk of complications from taking multiple prescriptions. Drug interactions can be very serious at times. It all adds up to a greater need for geriatric care that accounts for the differences of age.

Americans Are Getting Older

It’s not just a recognition of geriatric needs that is fueling the emerging geriatric emergency medicine specialty. There is also the knowledge that Americans are getting older. U.S. Census data shows that the number of Americans age 65 and older constituted 16% of the population in 2016, up 30% from 2010.

The medical field is experiencing the aging phenomenon firsthand. As the initial wave of baby boomers is now hitting retirement age, more and more older patients are winding up in the emergency department in need of care. And as America ages, the need for geriatric-specific care is only going to grow.

Adapting Care to Geriatric Needs

So what is so different about geriatric emergency medicine? All of the underlying medical principles remain the same, but clinicians learn to adapt their care to geriatric needs. Again, falls offer a great illustration.

A 20-year-old who comes to the emergency department after suffering a fall may genuinely only be dealing with a few minor abrasions and contusions. If she says she isn’t experiencing any unusual pain, the attending physician accepts that the moves on. Things are different with a 75-year-old.

You have to dig a little bit deeper when you’re treating geriatric patients. You have to account for the fact that hearing loss might be preventing the patient from fully grasping what you’re saying. Before that patient leaves the ED, you have to talk about things like mobility devices and how daily tasks are going to be performed during recovery.

Needless to say that geriatric emergency medicine is unique. It is an emerging specialty growing numbers of doctors are finding attractive.

 

Post navigation

Tips in Choosing the Best CrossFit Livermore Gym
Why is excessive fat so dangerous for your health?

Related Articles

beauty gadgets for redness blue light acne treatment calming skin solutions facial LED devices infrared skin therapy LED beauty devices non-invasive skincare red light therapy sensitive skin skincare technology

5 Types of LED Beauty Devices That Calm Sensitive Skin

Young Lauritsen
July 9, 2025 No Comments

SleepZee Reviews (2025): My Honest Experience

Andrew Collins
July 6, 2025 Comments Off on SleepZee Reviews (2025): My Honest Experience

Geek Bar vs. Lost Mary: Which Is Safer for Your Health?

Young Lauritsen
July 5, 2025 Comments Off on Geek Bar vs. Lost Mary: Which Is Safer for Your Health?

Recent Posts

5 Types of LED Beauty Devices That Calm Sensitive Skin

July 9, 2025

SleepZee Reviews (2025): My Honest Experience

July 6, 2025

Geek Bar vs. Lost Mary: Which Is Safer for Your Health?

July 5, 2025

Veteran Trauma Retreat: Healing the Invisible Wounds of Service

June 27, 2025

How to Find Affordable Dental Care

June 25, 2025

High-Tech Healing: Modern Wound Care Solutions for Chronic Foot and Leg Ulcers

June 24, 2025

Categories

  • Addiction Recovery
  • Addiction Treatment
  • Anti-aging
  • Back Pain
  • Beauty
  • Chiropractor
  • Diabetes
  • Exercises
  • Featured
  • Fitness
  • Food
  • Hair Care
  • Health
  • Medical Equipment
  • Mental health
  • Orthopedic
  • Pain Management
  • Podiatrist
  • Surgery
  • Weight Loss
  • Wellness

Recent Posts

  • 5 Types of LED Beauty Devices That Calm Sensitive Skin
    July 9, 2025
  • SleepZee Reviews (2025): My Honest Experience
    July 6, 2025
  • Geek Bar vs. Lost Mary: Which Is Safer for Your Health?
    July 5, 2025

Anti-aging

  • Injectables Guide: All The Fillers You Should Know
    October 28, 2020
  • Exercise The Journey Having A Longer, Better Existence
    April 22, 2019
  • Understanding Lip Enhancement Injections
    April 1, 2019
© Copyright 2024, All Rights Reserved healingxchange.com.
  • Any Query
  • About Us