My mom’s long-time physician has retired, and we need to find a new one. He has a young associate, but we don’t know him personally. I wonder if it’s time we look for a doctor who specializes in the treatment of older people? Is that necessary, or is just a regular doctor still OK? She’s in her early 80s.

All of medicine and medical treatment is personal and individual. There is no particular age when a person should switch physicians. However, if you’re facing a change, this is certainly a good time to take stock of your options.

There are two types of physicians who regularly practice geriatric medicine. The most common are internists or family practitioners whose practices have matured and left them with a larger-than-normal percentage of elderly folks. Because of the many seniors they treat, these doctors are usually very experienced at what they do.

The second type are geriatricians who chose an education that specialized specifically in the care of the elderly. These physicians often have a more comprehensive approach to dealing with their patients, such as measuring neurological, psychological, social and pharmacological components of the treatment.

Unfortunately, a “geriatrician,” is not always available especially in rural areas where doctors are already in short supply. An April article in the Journal of the American Medical Assn. pointed out how serious the problem is.

Here are some disturbing statistics from that article:

By 2030, the United States will need up to 36,000 geriatricians, but will be 25,000 short unless effective measures are taken to train new ones.

Only 9,000 of the 650,000 licensed U.S. practicing physicians are certified with added qualifications in geriatrics, and this number is falling because physicians are retiring and not becoming recertified.

According to the Alliance for Aging Research, the average 75-year-old patient has three chronic medical conditions and regularly uses about five prescription drugs, along with an unspecified number of over-the-counter medications. It is really important that the physician managing the “average 75-year-olds” understand the interaction of those diseases and medicines and the implications for those interactions as a person gets older.

If it were my mother, I’d certainly try to find a geriatrician at least to do an initial study of her needs.

If you have a question or comment for “Sense for Seniors,” write to Betty Gibb, Kansas Senior Press Service, 11875 S. Sunset, Suite 200, Olathe 66061. Or call 913-477-8103, or send e-mail to elizabeth.gibb@jocoks.com.