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.
| Care map | Specialty | Date of expiry | External link to Map of Medicine |
| Falls in elderly people | Geriatric medicine | 30 November 2012 | Access the falls in elderly people care map |
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
2010 Consultant Census
The RCP has completed our census of working physicians in 2010. Attached below is a breakdown of the report with results for this specialty.
Patient information
| Resource | Date |
|---|---|
| Concise guidelines: Advance care planning | 28 November 2011 |
| Improving end-of-life care: professional development for physicians | 21 March 2012 |
| National Audit of Dementia (Care in General Hospitals) | 21 March 2012 |
| News | Date |
|---|---|
| Hypertension – a clinical update for physicians, conference - 29 June 2012 | 10 May 2012 |
| RCP presents at International Forum on Quality and Safety in Healthcare | 17 April 2012 |
| Birmingham Movement Disorders Course – apply for March 2012 | 13 January 2012 |
| Commentary | Date |
|---|---|
| E-learning for falls prevention | 01 February 2012 |
| Dementia: 10 top tips | 01 August 2011 |
| Alistair Burns Q&A | 01 August 2011 |
| Press releases | Date |
|---|---|
| NHS exercise programmes a success with older people but not always evidence-based | 27 March 2012 |
| RCP comments on dementia funding | 26 March 2012 |
| RCP comment on consultation report 'Delivering dignity' | 29 February 2012 |
| Webstreamed events | Date |
|---|---|
| Harveian Oration 2011 | 18 October 2011 |
