WHAT’S SPECIAL ABOUT GOOD GERIATRIC CARE?

It is no secret that in our times physicians often don’t get to know the whole patient. Specialists, so important to specific treatment, often aren’t able to spend a lot of time with each patient. And even general practitioners or internists can have a waiting room full of people needing attention. The geriatrician is different. A good geriatrician should spend enough time with each patient to facilitate communication and to understand the whole person in order to provideoptimal care. Geriatricians understand the importance of getting a thorough medical history, psychological and social as well. Geriatricians also know the importance of working with a team of professionals that have expertise in geriatric care—a geriatric team, including nurses, nurse practitioners, physical therapists, social workers, and specialty providers. Physicians at NYP Weill Cornell’s Center on Aging are connected to an array of specialistswho also know the importance of getting to know the whole patient. People often ask: What is palliative care and hospice care? Palliative care is the treatment of the pain, symptoms and stress associated with a serious illness. One can receive palliative care at any age and at any stage of illness, whether terminal or not. Palliative care doesn’t depend on prognosis, and it does not replace a patient’s primary treatment. Rather, it works together with the treatment the patient is already receiving. For example, a palliative care consult might be requested for a cancer patient with intractable vomiting from chemotherapy. Medications may be recommended to treat the vomiting, and hopefully after chemotherapy the patient is cured and lives a long and healthy life. A person’s physician may refer a patient to a palliative care specialist for care that can be provided in hospitals in one’s home, in a nursing home, or in an out-patient clinic. At the NYP-Weill Cornell Center on Aging we provide palliative care to older patients along with curative treatment. Hospice care helps people who are nearing the end of their lives to live in comfort. The patient’s physician can suggest a transition to hospice care when it is estimated that the patient has less than six months to live. Hospice care, which can be delivered in one’s home, includes pain manage-mentand psychological and spiritual support. Hospice care also supports the patient’s family in some ways during what can be a difficult time. Healthcare for older adults is the mission of the Center’s professionals, but each of us can practice self-care as well on the road to best possible health!