Should my elderly mother switch to a geriatrician? - Ask Doctor K 

DEAR DOCTOR K:

My mother has been going to the same doctor for decades. Now that she is 80, should she switch to a geriatrician? 

Posted July 05, 2014, 2:00 am 

DEAR READER:

There’s a lot to be said for a doctor-patient relationship that has built trust over the years. Switching to a geriatrician may not be a good idea — but consulting a geriatrician could be a very good idea. Geriatricians specialize in the health of older adults. 

Older adults have many of the same medical conditions as adults in their 40s, 50s and 60s. But the implications of these illnesses can be different when a person is 70 or older. Put simply, many people over 70 place more value on the quality of their remaining life than the length of their remaining life. 

read more:  http://www.askdoctork.com/elderly-mother-switch-geriatrician-201407056602  

What age is "elderly" is not important.  What I believe is important is the emphasis on QUALITY of life.  Food for thought.

Iris L.