Expanding geriatric care in the community By Robert Chen, M.D., CentraState Medical Center Family Medicine Residency Program As baby boomers age, the number of Americans 65 and older will more than double and the number of people age 85 and older will quadruple, according to the American Geriatrics Society. At the same time, the U.S. faces a growing shortage of certified geriatricians, doctors who specialize in treating older adults. In most cases, primary care physicians see to the wellness and disease management of seniors. However, the complexities of caring for older adults present a challenge. Seniors may have long medical histories, diseases may manifest themselves differently, and there are issues specific to seniors that doctors without geriatric training may miss. In a recent survey by Merck Institute of Aging and Health involving more than 700 adults age 50 and older, nearly 90 percent of participants said they believe having more knowledge about healthy aging would help them maintain their independence during their senior years. Unfortunately, less than half of those surveyed believed their primary care physicians are knowledgeable about senior healthcare. Because the number of geriatricians is not likely to increase, The American Geriatrics Society encourages incorporating geriatrics into family practice and medical-surgical specialties by providing more education and training. The Family Medicine Residency Program at CentraState Healthcare System recently added a geriatric medicine component for its resident physicians. A geriatric education enhances the ability of the physicians to provide the quality care that will help keep people at their healthiest and most active as they age. In addition, as part of the program, a new on-site physician service is available to all residents of CentraState’s three senior living communities. One of the goals of the program is to fill the increased demand for senior healthcare in the community. Robert Chen, M.D. is board certified in Family Practice and Geriatric Medicine. For more information about geriatrics or to find a geriatrician, call (866) CENTRA7 or click on www.centrastate.com.