Finding Geriatric Care
How to find a geriatrician, and alternatives when one isn't available—palliative care teams, geriatric nurse practitioners, and bringing the geriatric perspective into any appointment.
Unfortunately, geriatricians can be scarce. There are fewer than 8,000 practicing geriatricians in the U.S., less than 500 in Canada—not nearly enough to meet demand. Still, there are ways to search:
- American Geriatrics Society (AGS) “Find a Geriatrics Healthcare Professional” tool: geriatricscareonline.org
- Local hospitals or academic medical centers: Many teaching hospitals have geriatrics departments or clinics.
- Primary care referrals: Ask your PCP for recommendations—they often know which local doctors have geriatric training.
- Insurance directories: Check your Medicare Advantage or supplemental insurance network for geriatricians.
If No Geriatrician Is Available
If there are no geriatricians in your area—or they’re not accepting new patients—there are other options for whole-person, quality-of-life-centered care:
- Palliative Care Teams: Not just for end-of-life, palliative care specialists focus on managing symptoms, coordinating care, and improving quality of life at any stage of illness.
- Geriatric Nurse Practitioners (GNPs): Many nurse practitioners have specialized training in geriatrics and provide holistic, patient-centered care.
- Elder Care Navigators or Care Managers: These professionals help families coordinate medical, financial, and social resources and can often be found through the Aging Life Care Association (aginglifecare.org).
- Area Agencies on Aging (AAA): Every county in the U.S. has one. They connect families with local aging resources and can sometimes point you toward providers with geriatric expertise.
- Primary Care “Geriatrics Mindset”: If your PCP is not a geriatrician, bring questions that reframe the conversation through a geriatric lens:
- “How does this treatment affect daily function?”
- “What is the impact on quality of life vs. lifespan?”
- “How do we prioritize among multiple diagnoses?”
A Thought to Hold
Even without a geriatrician, you can bring the geriatric perspective into every appointment by centering quality of life, functional ability, and personal goals as much as lab results or scans.