When to See a Geriatric Provider, from Intermountain Health

There are more than 55 million people in the U.S. over age 65 according to the 2020 U.S. Census. That’s about 17 percent of the population. And it continues to grow each year.

As people age, staying healthy can become more difficult. There are certain medical conditions that are very common among older adults. And aging can play a factor in some medical conditions getting more complicated.

There is a growing need for more geriatric medical providers who specialize in caring for older adults, especially those with multiple or chronic health conditions.

“A geriatric provider specializes in seeing patients who are typically 65 and older and we focus on the type of care that comes with the later stages of life, which often includes more complex health issues, more medications, and more medical history,” said Tim Sellers, NP, a nurse practitioner in senior medicine at Intermountain Utah Valley Clinic in Provo, Utah.

According to Sellers, typically, geriatric providers are family medicine providers who have specialized in geriatric care. They are the ones who can tie all the care together to treat the whole person. They are a central place for patients to come with questions.

“Our appointments are longer so we can help patients navigate complex medical conditions and coordinate care with other providers across multiple medical specialties. We’re good listeners. We can also help simplify a patient’s medications and treatments,” he added.

You might want to see a geriatric provider if:

• You’re over age 65
• You have multiple chronic conditions that affect your daily physical or mental functioning, like being less mobile in getting where you need to go or if you’re struggling with memory issues, falls, BH general, health changes
• You have multiple medications to manage
• You have frequent trips to the emergency room or frequent hospital stays
• You find your primary care provider doesn’t have the time to address all the health concerns you have.

Geriatric patients can really benefit from a provider who understands the aging process and what is important for older patients, what they’re worried about, and how to help them work toward health goals that will help enhance their quality of life.

“We focus on keeping older patients independent, safe and comfortable. We ask about their goals and values, and find out what motivates them to stay healthy. We have the time to delve into a patient’s medical history and help them make medical decisions based on that, and not feel rushed,” said Sellers.

“As geriatric providers, we can help patients with conditions such as high blood pressure, sleep issues, chronic pain, cognitive impairment, or a risk of falling. We can coordinate care for patients who are seeing multiple specialists for conditions such as diabetes and heart failure or other chronic conditions,” he added.

Geriatric providers can also connect patients with services such as a home safety visit, physical therapy visits in the home, support groups for seniors, or support for caregivers of those with dementia. We can help them know how to access additional resources through Medicare or through community organizations such as the Utah Commission on Aging.

For more information or to find a geriatric providers in Provo, click here.

About Intermountain Health

Headquartered in Utah with locations in six states and additional operations across the western U.S., Intermountain Healthis a not-for-profit system of 34 hospitals, approximately 400 clinics, medical groups with some 4,600 employed physicians and advanced care providers, a health plans division called Select Health with more than one million members, and other health services. Helping people live the healthiest lives possible, Intermountain is committed to improving community health and is widely recognized as a leader in transforming healthcare by using evidence-based best practices to consistently deliver high-quality outcomes at sustainable costs. For up-to-date information and announcements, please see the Intermountain Health newsroom at https://intermountainhealthcare.org/news.