Why You Can't Find a Doctor Who Specializes in Caring for Older Adults

Geriatricians, doctors who specialize in caring for older adults, are in short supply and the numbers are only going down.

Why a geriatrician matters

• They know how older adults respond to specific medications.
• They can tell the difference between age-related aches and pains and a more serious condition.
• They recognize age-related memory loss compared with early-stage dementia.
• They know how to communicate with older adults, and how to listen to them.
• They know how to coordinate complex care and are familiar with the way elder law attorneys help seniors get care at home or in other settings.

The problem

There are currently 55 million Americans over the age of 65, and the fastest-growing age group in the country is people 85 and older. There are only about 7,400 geriatricians in the United States — roughly one for every 7,500 seniors.

What you can do

Ask your primary care physician about their experience treating older adults, seek out a geriatric care manager, and build a team around your parent that includes medical, financial and legal advisors who talk to each other. As an elder law attorney, I am keenly aware of the gap between the legal and financial plan we create for a client and the day-to-day care they actually receive — closing that gap is part of the work.