Generally, geriatricians treat older people after retirement (age 65 and older). However, some people prefer to go earlier to try to prevent problems before they appear. Others come to solve problems that arise at very advanced ages (over 80 years of age), when the physician’s specialization is essential.
What is a comprehensive geriatric assessment?
The comprehensive geriatric assessment is a diagnostic technique in which, through strict questioning and the use of various tests, capabilities and problems are determined in all aspects of an elderly person’s health: diseases, treatments, ability to carry out activities of daily living, gait, nutrition, mental function, mood, and family and social support needs and resources. The first consultation is therefore lengthy, usually lasting about an hour.
Is it normal to lose memory as you get older?
Absolutely NOT. There is no such thing as “senile dementia”. People who age well (mentally healthy) retain a normal mental capacity, even beyond the age of 100.
However, it is true that the frequency of diseases that cause memory loss (such as Alzheimer’s disease) increases with age, affecting up to 30% of older people. If these people are not allowed to go to the doctor for consultation for memory loss, they will be deprived of the possibility of receiving a correct diagnosis and effective treatment.