Geriatric Care
Taking care of an elderly loved one can be a difficult, emotionally draining task. The Benjamin Wellness Center knows how complicated it can be to make smart decisions about your elderly loved one, which is why we offer all the resources you need to care for your beloved senior. From in-home care visits and prescriptions to handling common geriatric health problems and nutrition, our board-certified medical professionals can handle every aspect of geriatric care for your loved one.
What Does Geriatric Care Involve?
Senior parents and other older loved ones may require specialized health attention for their needs as they age into their golden years. However, achieving and sustaining optimal health and wellness for geriatric patients isn’t just a matter of having the right meds. Geriatric care requires a significant amount of teamwork, communication, and trust between caregivers and health professionals. Caregivers and health professionals must come together to help seniors manage health conditions and create a safe, happy environment for the seniors in their care. Many health problems may not be acutely curable, but are simply chronic issues that occur due to the body getting older. Geriatric patients often face additional declines in mental or physical activities, leading to a downward cycle where the patient can no longer keep up with their own care and overall health declines.
There are two types of geriatric care you can find at our clinic that work together to help a geriatric citizen achieve good health:
Geriatric Medicine
A doctor with experience in geriatric medicine assists with the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases older adults experience. Geriatric medicine is considered a specialized field of medicine, but geriatricians often take a more comprehensive approach and treat the patient in a holistic manner. Along with treating patients with acute diseases, geriatric doctors also take into consideration a wide array of risk conditions. Some common geriatric conditions that need to be accounted for include:
Dementia - Decline in memory or judgement
Incontinence - Losing the ability to control bodily functions
Delirium - Confusion or recurring mental disruptions
Falls - The number one cause of fatal and non-fatal injury in seniors
Polypharmacy - Potential negative interactions between drugs
Geriatric Care Management
The geriatric patient’s caregiver is often a family member or loved one, but sometimes they require professional home care services. The Benjamin Wellness Center offers in-home medical visits so the patient can enjoy medical care in the comfort of their own home. No matter who the primary caregiver is, there are many details involved with elder care that needs to be carefully managed, including:
Medications - Keeping medication schedules up-to-date
Socialization - Keeping the patient from isolation so they don’t get depressed; isolation speeds up physical and mental decline
Falls - the number one cause of fatal and non-fatal injury in seniors
Meals - Supervision and scheduling of dietary and nutritional needs
Prevention - Understanding symptoms that could require further attention
When treating patients, an experienced doctor like Dr. Vaunrance Benjamin considers all these factors and more. Dr. Benjamin will help families and patients who are coming to terms with the need for extra care navigate this transitory period with patience and skillful medical attention.
Contact Us Today
The Benjamin Wellness Center offers services and resources for all your geriatric care needs. Contact The Benjamin Wellness Center in Hollywood, FL to schedule an appointment today.