Geriatric medicine

Geriatrics is a branch of general medicine concerned with the clinical, preventative, remedial and social aspects of illness in old age. The challenges of frailty, complex comorbidity, different patterns of disease presentation, slower response to treatment and requirements for social support call for special medical skills.

Presentations of illness in old age are often non-specific: geriatricians focus on falls, immobility, incontinence and confusion as well as adverse drug reactions. We see a broad range of illnesses, particularly stroke, heart disease, infections, diabetes, delirium, and the dementias. Some geriatricians deal with the whole range of geriatric problems, particularly those who spend time working in the community. Others specialise in areas such as orthopaedic geriatrics, stroke, falls and syncope, cerebral ageing and Parkinsonism.

At its core, geriatrics requires comprehensive assessment of ill and disabled old people. This involves close interdisciplinary working with nurses, therapists, pharmacists, dietitians, social workers and many other health professionals. We work closely with GPs, old age psychiatrists and many hospital clinical specialists to ensure that old people receive the highest possible levels of care.

Related RCP publications

• Advance care planning: national guideline (2008)
• Assessment of pain in older people: national guideline (2007)
• Bowel care in older people: research and practice (2002)

Map of Medicine

The RCP has been working with Map of Medicine since 2008 to produce web-based knowledge support tools. There are 300 evidence-based clinical care maps covering all major areas of healthcare; including care maps for specific specialties.

Specialty training

For information about specialty training in geriatric medicine, please visit the Joint Royal Colleges of Physicians Postgraduate Training Board (JRCPTB) website.

Specialist society

• British Geriatrics Society

Patient information

• Age Concern and Help the Aged