Every senior should have a team of people, including a primary care doctor, in-home care providers, nurses, and more. Some seniors may add specialists to their team of people who help them live independently and healthily. Multiple conditions related to aging require complex care. There will be certain types of specialists, and a senior doctor will be able to help them determine when they need more advanced care.
Primary care doctors are great for many adults, but they may not be the best when your parent or loved one is older. There are many types of specialists that seniors can choose from. In-home care providers are not doctors, but they are special professionals who can help keep an eye out for signs that your parent is struggling with their health.
In many cases, a primary care doctor will refer their aging patients to someone else, which will be the biggest indication of seeing a specialist for health. However, there are so many different types of doctors that work in a specific niche. This list will help you sort through what your parents may need to stay healthier for longer.
Geriatricians
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These doctors are specialists who work with people over 65. This is a doctor who has additional training and education to see older patients than other doctors. Although an average doctor may be able to help a senior, these doctors may be more aware of diseases that affect the elderly. Going to this specialist can help keep an older patient healthier for longer.
CNS or Certified Nutrition Specialist
These specialists are doctors, but many hold an advanced degree like a master’s or higher. They have passed hard courses to become a nutrition specialist. This type of doctor or specialist can be great for a senior trying to change certain lifestyle habits and understand what their bodies need as they start aging after 65.
Psychiatrists
You may hear the terms psychiatrist and therapist used interchangeably. However, a psychiatrist has medical schooling behind them and can diagnose problems and prescribe medication to manage them. Some psychiatrists will not talk to a senior, so they may ask a senior to work with a therapist as well.
Dermatologist
This skincare doctor can help treat seniors and ensure they have healthy skin. They will check out rashes, burns, moles, and freckles. However, they will also check for things like skin cancer and help spot early symptoms or things that can be problems.
Ophthalmologists
Seniors with complex eye problems should be seeing these doctors because they are eye specialists. They treat special conditions of the eye and can even perform surgeries on a senior if needed.
Cardiologists
These are doctors who specialize in treating high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart attack, strokes, and congestive heart failure. These doctors are trained in pediatrics and internal medicine. As someone ages, they may need to see this doctor multiple times to stay healthy.
Endocrinologists
If a senior has problems with their endocrine system, they need to go see an endocrinologist. These specialists focus on diabetes, hormone imbalance, thyroid conditions, and adrenal gland problems. They will work with seniors and are also experienced in children’s growth problems.
Sources:
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/types-of-doctors#specialists
If You Or An Aging Loved One Are Considering Hiring In-Home Care in St. Pete Beach, FL, Please Contact The Caring Staff At Assisting Hands Home Care Today! 727-748-4211.
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Becky Moultrie is Owner and Administrator of Assisting Hands Home Care Serving Pinellas. Guided by a motto to Do Good with Love, she’s well positioned to do just that at Assisting Hands. She has a passion for helping families keep seniors and those who are diabled happy and healthy at home. She serves on a number of boards in Pinellas County including the Pinellas Park Gateway Chamber and Better Living Seniors (BLS), leading the Membership Committee. Annually, she hosts a Silver Santa Party, collecting donations for nearly 100 low income seniors in the county. She attends Blessed Sacrament Church, Seminole where she is an Ascribed Member of the Rosminian Order. When not busy Doing Good in the community, Becky is at home with her husband David & their 4 children, tending to their beehives and digging in the garden.
