National shortage of geriatricians can impact dementia and Alzheimer’s patients
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., (KRDO) - According to an analysis by the National Center for Health Workforce, there already was a shortage of geriatricians, doctors who specialize in health care for older people, in 2013. Now, a projected increase in demand by 2025 is not expected to be met.
Additionally, a study of the current and future U.S. neurology workforce projected a 19% shortage of neurologists by 2025 by 2050, the situation is projected to get worse.
The state of Colorado currently has 96 certified geriatricians, a very low number and rural areas might be hit the hardest. To treat the population of people age 65 and older with dementia in the year 2050, it's estimated that Colorado will need about 289 geriatricians.
Nationally, the U.S. has an estimated 5,170 geriatricians, yet will need about 15,000 to serve the dementia population in 2050.
"We are living in an aging society, we have got a large group of baby boomers who are passing the retirement age, but if people are not being diagnosed, that creates a different set of problems," said Jim Herlihy, senior marketing director for the Colorado Alzheimer's Association.
As the population ages in Southern Colorado, the number of people who suffer from cognitive deficits, like Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, is now escalating.
"These professionals are essential to the process of diagnosing Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia or if there are cases where it might be something that is mimicking Alzheimer's disease to determine that it is not and find the best way to treat that," said Herlihy.
The Alzheimer's Association says there aren't enough geriatricians. To meet the demand by 2050, officials say there will have to be at least a 200% increase. Herlihy says the solution is simple but can take some time.
"Until we can graduate more people in this medical specialty - what we want to encourage people to do if they are seeing symptoms of this is go to their physician, go to their family physician because too many people are afraid of what they might find out.," added Herlihy.
