Geriatric health,
explained for families.

Memory loss alone doesn't mean dementia. But there are specific signs, in behaviour, daily function, and communication, that signal it's time to see a specialist. A geriatrician explains what to watch for, and why early assessment changes outcomes.

In my practice in Kolkata and Newtown, a significant number of the families I work with are not physically present. Their elderly parent lives in Kolkata or Newtown — often alone, or with a domestic helper who is not medically trained. The adult children are in Bengaluru, Mumbai, Dubai, the United States, the United Kingdom, […]

When I tell a family that their elderly parent needs a Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment, the most common response is a blank look. Occasionally someone has heard the term before, but even then, most people are not clear on what it actually involves, how long it takes, or what comes out of it. I have written […]

There is a conversation I have frequently with families who come to see me for the first time. It usually starts with some version of: “We should have come sooner. We didn’t know this kind of specialist existed.” I understand why. The concept of a geriatrician — a doctor who specialises specifically in the health […]

“Geriatrician” — it’s a word that holds immense gravity and significance, yet remains unfamiliar to many in India. That is not the fault of patients or families. It is, in part, the fault of those of us who are geriatricians. We have not done enough to make the specialty visible, accessible, or understood. I include […]

Elder abuse is a topic that makes most people uncomfortable. It should. It is defined as a violation of a vulnerable older person’s human and civil rights by another person — and it is far more common than most families believe. I raise this topic not to create suspicion or distress, but because clinical vigilance […]

If your elderly parent is on five or more medicines, you need to read this. Polypharmacy — the concurrent use of five or more medications — is one of the most common and most dangerous problems I encounter in my geriatric practice. It is not always the fault of any individual doctor. It is often […]

Geriatric medicine is one of the most important specialties in modern healthcare: and one of the least understood in India. I have lost count of the number of families who arrive at my clinic after years of managing an elderly parent through a rotation of organ-specific specialists, each treating one system in isolation, none of […]