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Email this4:09 am
March 17, 2018
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@Loonie
Hopefully if your loved one sees a good geriatrician, they can check their B12,thyroid and Vit D levels and bone density and correct those if needed. And adjust their sleeping pills, anti-psychotics, antidepressants, and cognition enhancers which can make a huge difference. Unfortunately it's hard to get a good one who'll spend the time to do all that.
8:54 am
April 2, 2018
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Briguy said
@Loonie
Hopefully if your loved one sees a good geriatrician, they can check their B12,thyroid and Vit D levels and bone density and correct those if needed. And adjust their sleeping pills, anti-psychotics, antidepressants, and cognition enhancers which can make a huge difference. Unfortunately it's hard to get a good one who'll spend the time to do all that.
Unfortunately when health service is based on number of patients seen, you cannot expect any high quality service. When family physician spends 2-3 minutes with you barely listening you and grabbing prescription pad as soon as you start describing your issues, then you know it is all about MONEY and not helping you.
Medics in Canada do not care to find a cause of your malady but just to provide temporary solution pumping you with pills and whatnot.
I had a cyst on a neck; went to one FP, he wrote prescription (supporting big pharma); went to another one to hear second opinion - got referral for dermatologist. Dermatologist drained cyst and I should be OK for many months. Removal of cyst (optimal solution) is not covered by OHIP (charge is $400) so if issues occurs - he will drain it again.
Bottom line is, even though OHIP is great comparing to USA nightmare medical service, it is far for perfect.
4:09 pm
October 21, 2013
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@BriGuy,
The thing is, there is nothing on your list that a good family doctor can't deal with. If necessary, the family doctor can make referrals to specialists who have particular knowledge about that particular problem. Honestly, I don't see any need for gerontologists unless it's to cover for other doctors who are basically incompetent.
Testing for B12 etc ought to be routine for a competent family doctor dealing with an elderly person.
Happily, she has an excellent family doctor who does look after all these things. Family doctor did refer her to a psychiatrist who specializes in the elderly, got very helpful anti-psychotics and anti-depressants.
She was seen by one of the useless gerontologists in hospital a few months ago but there were no resulting changes in meds. All this person did was ask questions, take notes, and make comments to me which were at best insensitive and which I found insulting.
4:28 pm
March 17, 2018
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@Loonie , the prescribing of anti-psychotics, sleeping pills, antidepressants is not as easy as it looks, as the timing ,dosing and combination of pills prescribed is very important. I would say it's beyond the scope of most family doctors and geriatricians , and sometimes even require a geriatric psychiatrist to do the job properly.
9:57 pm
October 21, 2013
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I agree, BriGuy.
Her family doctor did refer her to a psychiatrist specializing in geriatrics. This psychiatrist was by no means convenient but it seems he knew what he was doing.
I imagine we could both tell a lot of hair-raising stories, but I'll try to leave it there.
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