Vim & Vigor - Summer 2020 - CH - 37
37
2
You want a thorough, holistic evaluation.
McKoy spends an hour with new patients, to allow for the
fullest assessment. She does this because a symptom's root
cause can be somewhere unexpected in the body-for instance,
memory problems might be traceable to vascular issues. McKoy
says, "I even look at a patient's feet during an appointment to
look for circulation problems or gait issues."
3
You're looking for an expert. Board-
certified geriatricians have been educated
specifically on issues that aging people face.
"We're trained to treat illness," McKoy says, "but
also see other potential issues, too."
You seek a
doctor who will
see the whole picture.
4
Particularly with the elderly,
illness is often about more
than bodily symptoms. McKoy
works closely with multiple
professionals when she
sees a patient, including a
social worker who will do a
30-minute home visit after
someone's first appointment.
"Geriatricians don't treat illness in a vacuum," she says.
You want
help beyond
hearing "you're just
getting older."
5
Chalking up issues to age
and nothing more leaves
people feeling resigned
to their fates, when often
there are interventions
that can, at the very least,
make it easier to cope.
"If a doctor tells you that
you're 'just aging,' don't
go back," McKoy says.
6
You're
feeling down.
"The two biggest
things I see in
my patients
are memory
problems and
depression,"
McKoy says.
Visiting a
geriatrician
when you're
concerned about
your mental
health can
keep the blues
from spiraling
into something
significantly
worse.
7
PHOTOS BY GETTY IMAGES
1 You want to
learn how to age
gracefully.
Many of McKoy's patients
see her in their late 60s and
early 70s, before some of
the major health changes of
aging have occurred. "They
come because they want
to figure out how to get
older without feeling frail
or fading away," she says.
A preventive visit lets the
geriatrician spot potential
issues before they happen.
You want the focus of an appointment to be on you.
Often, patients come to appointments with their children or other caregivers,
and doctors can be tempted to talk only to them rather than the person
seeking care, particularly in cases of dementia. "A good geriatrician
will always, always talk to you," McKoy says.
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Vim & Vigor - Summer 2020 - CH
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Vim & Vigor - Summer 2020 - CH - Cover1
Vim & Vigor - Summer 2020 - CH - Cover2
Vim & Vigor - Summer 2020 - CH - Contents
Vim & Vigor - Summer 2020 - CH - 2
Vim & Vigor - Summer 2020 - CH - 3
Vim & Vigor - Summer 2020 - CH - 4
Vim & Vigor - Summer 2020 - CH - 5
Vim & Vigor - Summer 2020 - CH - 6
Vim & Vigor - Summer 2020 - CH - 7
Vim & Vigor - Summer 2020 - CH - 8
Vim & Vigor - Summer 2020 - CH - 9
Vim & Vigor - Summer 2020 - CH - 10
Vim & Vigor - Summer 2020 - CH - 11
Vim & Vigor - Summer 2020 - CH - 12
Vim & Vigor - Summer 2020 - CH - 13
Vim & Vigor - Summer 2020 - CH - 14
Vim & Vigor - Summer 2020 - CH - 15
Vim & Vigor - Summer 2020 - CH - 16
Vim & Vigor - Summer 2020 - CH - 17
Vim & Vigor - Summer 2020 - CH - 18
Vim & Vigor - Summer 2020 - CH - 19
Vim & Vigor - Summer 2020 - CH - 20
Vim & Vigor - Summer 2020 - CH - 21
Vim & Vigor - Summer 2020 - CH - 22
Vim & Vigor - Summer 2020 - CH - 23
Vim & Vigor - Summer 2020 - CH - 24
Vim & Vigor - Summer 2020 - CH - 25
Vim & Vigor - Summer 2020 - CH - 26
Vim & Vigor - Summer 2020 - CH - 27
Vim & Vigor - Summer 2020 - CH - 28
Vim & Vigor - Summer 2020 - CH - 29
Vim & Vigor - Summer 2020 - CH - 30
Vim & Vigor - Summer 2020 - CH - 31
Vim & Vigor - Summer 2020 - CH - 32
Vim & Vigor - Summer 2020 - CH - 33
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Vim & Vigor - Summer 2020 - CH - 36
Vim & Vigor - Summer 2020 - CH - 37
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Vim & Vigor - Summer 2020 - CH - 39
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Vim & Vigor - Summer 2020 - CH - 42
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Vim & Vigor - Summer 2020 - CH - 44
Vim & Vigor - Summer 2020 - CH - 45
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Vim & Vigor - Summer 2020 - CH - 54
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Vim & Vigor - Summer 2020 - CH - 56
Vim & Vigor - Summer 2020 - CH - Cover3
Vim & Vigor - Summer 2020 - CH - Cover4
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