Geriatrinen

Geriatrinen is a medical specialty that focuses on the health and care of older adults, typically those aged 65 and older or frail individuals. The term derives from Greek geron, old man, and iatreia, healing. Geriatrics emphasizes functional ability, independence, and quality of life, rather than treating diseases in isolation. A central tool is the comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA), an integrated evaluation of medical, functional, cognitive, emotional, social, and environmental factors used to develop individualized care plans. Due to multimorbidity, polypharmacy, and age-related physiology, care in geriatrics aims to balance benefits and risks, simplify regimens, and anticipate adverse events.

Geriatric care is delivered in multiple settings, including outpatient clinics, hospital geriatric units, long-term care facilities, and home-based programs. Common concerns include frailty, cognitive impairment and dementia, delirium, falls, malnutrition, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes, with attention to prevention, rehabilitation, and palliative approaches when appropriate. The approach often relies on multidisciplinary teams, including physicians, nurses, therapists, social workers, and pharmacists.

Training and research in geriatrics cover clinical care, ethics, pharmacology in older adults, and health system design to support aging populations. The field governs guidelines for frailty screening, medication review, fall risk assessment, and care transitions. Global aging trends create rising demand for geriatrinen expertise, with varying organizational models by country. Some regions distinguish geriatrics (clinical care) from gerontology (study of aging as a discipline).