Geriatrics

Geriatrics is a branch of medicine that aims to promote health and prevent diseases and disabilities in elderly clients, as well as treat existing diseases and disabilities. Geriatrics focuses on health care of the elderly people. The term comes from the Greek word Geron which means “old man” and iatros means “healer.” Immobility, incontinence, instability, impaired intellectual memory, delirium, impaired vision and hearing, and use of multiple medications are some of the health issues and ‘geriatric giants’ that we always try to consider in elderly clients.
For almost ten years now, our family has been celebrating my grandfather’s birthday joyously every year, thinking that it might be his last. He is already 95 five years old, not getting any younger but surprisingly, he still appears to be physically in shape. Although at times he is experiencing joint pains due to arthritis, and it takes some effort to make our voices audible enough for him, generally he is an able-bodied old man. The picture shows the oldest and youngest member of the family, my grandfather at ninety five and my daughter at two. What makes the gigantic difference between them? My grandfather has already lived his life fully, while my daughter is yet to discover life ahead of her.