What is a geriatrician?

A geriatrician is a doctor who specializes in the health care of older adults, including how the body changes with age and whether symptoms signal a serious problem. The American Geriatrics Society's HealthInAging site notes that geriatricians often provide primary care for older adults with the most complicated medical and social problems, and are often consulted about the care of the frailest older people.

Consider a geriatrician when an older person's health causes considerable impairment and frailty, especially with several conditions at once, including memory or thinking problems. The American Geriatrics Society's HealthInAging site says these patients tend to be over 75, and that a geriatrician should also be consulted when family members and friends are feeling considerable stress and strain as caregivers.

Yes. The Alzheimer's Association lists geriatricians, who specialize in the care of older adults and dementia, among the specialists who can evaluate memory and thinking problems and diagnose dementia, alongside neurologists, psychiatrists and psychologists. Many people start with their primary care doctor, who may oversee the diagnosis or refer to a specialist, and people with unclear symptoms may need more than one specialist.

Either can help, and the choice depends on the person's needs. The National Institute on Aging explains that geriatricians manage health care in older adults and know how the body changes with age, while neurologists specialize in the brain and nervous system and can conduct and review brain scans. Memory clinics offer teams of specialists who work together to diagnose the problem.

Yes. A geriatrician is a medical doctor, and Medicare Part B covers medically necessary doctor services, including outpatient visits. After the Part B deductible, Medicare.gov says you pay 20 percent of the Medicare-approved amount for most services. Check that the geriatrician accepts Medicare assignment and is taking new patients, and ask what any recommended tests or services will cost before you agree to them.