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THE MORNING CALL SATURDAY, APRIL 27, 2019 15
Prime

Easy living – for the prime of your life

Yes,GeriatricMedicinecanhelpyou–evenifyou’renot“old”yet

Steward Medical Group’s Dr. Mahesh Krishnamurthy discusses how this useful area
of medicine can help guide your health through your golden years

f you’re a boomer, chances are that you haven’t given When our children are young, we take them to a a person with three or more medical problems.”
much thought yet as to how geriatrics can fit into pediatrician because babies have specialized needs that It comes with the territory and will happen to all
Iyour lifestyle or how it can help you. But the truth is, differ from those of adults. On the other end of the of us – as we age, the number of medical problems we
you don’t have to be “old” to let geriatrics start guiding spectrum, older adults often have different medical face increases. With this, the amount of medications we
your health. concerns than they had even in middle age. take also usually increases, along with side effects and
That’s where a geriatrician – a medical doctor who drug interactions inside of our bodies. While the family
specializes in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of physicians we come to know and trust can manage these
Mahesh Krishnamurthy, disease and disability in older adults – comes into play. issues, there are times when someone with experience
M.D., Director of They study how health problems develop and progress in in juggling multiple specialties, tests, medical records and
Medical Education and this population, and how these problems could be better medications can be beneficial.
Chief of Geriatrics evaluated and managed. For example, medical issues that usually affect people
at Steward Medical “The typical age for a person to see a geriatrician is 65 and older can include arthritis, falls, urinary frequency
Group’s Easton Hospital. at 65 or older. However, if a person has few or no major or incontinence, memory loss, malnutrition, sensory
medical problems, they can simply continue to see their impairments and even problems arising from mixed
internal medicine or family physician,” explains Mahesh medications. Because the need depends on the complexity
Photo courtesy
of Steward Medical Group’s Krishnamurthy, M.D., Director of Medical Education and of a person’s medical conditions rather than on chronological
Easton Hospital. Chief of Geriatrics at Steward Medical Group’s Easton
Hospital. “The ideal person who should see a geriatrician is GERIATRIC MEDICINE PAGE 27

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