Discover how Dr. Saam can meet the needs of geriatrics care for your family.
Geriatrics is a field of medicine that focuses on medical care for the elderly. Dr. Saam will care for you by diagnosing and treating illnesses and disabilities, and offering you preventive care to help you avoid getting sick.
- This type of medicine is an important specialty
- The needs of elderly patients differs from what younger patients need
Mental Health
A common reason why senior citizens visit Dr. Saam is for mental health needs. The aging process sometimes causes patients to become more forgetful. When forgetfulness progresses so much that it interferes with your safety, it is time to visit a doctor. Dr. Saam can tell the difference between typical forgetfulness and more serious health concerns such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
In some cases, an adult son or daughter may contact us and request an appointment for one of our patients. Having your grown child with you to explain your symptoms and help you make decisions about your health care is important. Dr. Saam welcomes your trusted family member to come with you to help ensure that you get the best possible care.
Disabilities
Dr. Saam also helps people who are facing age-related disabilities. As you get older, your body just does not work like it used to. Your joints may have become inflamed or worn due to many decades of physical activity or work at your job. Arthritis is one of the most common reasons why patients come to see us.
Some other age-related conditions such as Parkinson’s disease can also cause you to become physically disabled. You might find it more difficult to walk up and down the stairs in your home, to shower, or get yourself dressed. We can help you to manage and treat your physical disability. We can also connect you with physical therapists to help you maintain your strength and balance.
Management of Symptoms
As you age, health issues that were only mild during your younger years often get worse. If you were a smoker, you might have COPD in your later years. Dr. Saam can help you by prescribing you treatments and breathing aids.
If you had myopia before, you might have impaired vision caused by cataracts and macular degeneration now. We can help you to prevent further vision loss by managing your diabetes and blood pressure.
Many older patients also experience hearing loss. We monitor your hearing and refer you for audiology care or help you to get the hearing aids that you need.
Managing Acute Illnesses
Older patients often have weaker immune systems. You may find that you catch colds or the flu easier than you used to. We offer flu immunizations and other immunizations, such as the shingles shot, to help you prevent illnesses. If you do get sick, we offer acute illness care and can prescribe antibiotics and anti-viral medicines that might help to shorten the duration of your symptoms.
If you need a doctor who specializes in care of the elderly, please give us a call.