15 Questions to Ask a Geriatrician at Your Parent's First Visit

A geriatrician is a physician with specialized training in the unique medical needs of older adults. Unlike a regular primary care doctor, a geriatrician understands how aging affects everything from medication metabolism to cognition to fall risk. If your parent has complex chronic conditions, takes multiple medications, or is experiencing cognitive decline, a geriatrician's care can be transformative.

But the first visit is usually limited — often 45 minutes to an hour — and you need to make it count. Come prepared with these 15 essential questions.

Why See a Geriatrician?

Geriatricians specialize in:

• Multi-condition management in adults over 65
• Appropriate medication use in older adults
• Cognitive assessment and dementia care
• Fall prevention and mobility
• Functional independence
• Quality of life at advanced ages

They often catch problems that specialists miss because they look at the whole person, not just one organ system.

Before the Appointment

Bring these items to the first visit:

• Complete medication list with dosages and prescribing doctors
• List of all supplements and over-the-counter medications
• List of allergies
• Recent lab results and imaging reports
• Contact information for all other doctors
• List of recent hospitalizations and ER visits
• Written list of your questions and concerns
• Insurance cards
• Advance directive and healthcare proxy

If your parent has dementia, bring someone who knows them well to help provide history.

The 15 Questions to Ask

1. "Can you review all of my parent's medications and see if any should be stopped or adjusted?"

This is called a "medication reconciliation" or "deprescribing review." Geriatricians are specifically trained to identify medications that may no longer be appropriate, that interact poorly, or that increase fall risk. Many seniors are on medications they no longer need.

2. "Which of these medications could increase fall risk or cause confusion?"

Many common medications — including sleep aids, anxiety medications, muscle relaxants, certain blood pressure medications, and some antidepressants — increase fall risk or cognitive impairment in older adults. A geriatrician can identify safer alternatives.

3. "Do you recommend a cognitive assessment?"

Geriatricians can perform or refer for formal cognitive testing. Even if you're not sure whether dementia is present, a baseline assessment is valuable for tracking changes over time.

4. "What are the key health risks we should be monitoring at this age?"

Ask for specific, age-appropriate screenings and risk factors to watch. This may include bone density, vision, hearing, thyroid, cancer screenings, and more.

5. "What is my parent's fall risk, and what can we do about it?"

Falls are one of the leading causes of serious injury and death in seniors. A geriatrician can assess gait, balance, vision, medications, home environment, and provide a personalized prevention plan.

6. "Are there any symptoms that we should treat as urgent?"

Ask specifically what changes would warrant calling the doctor, going to urgent care, or going to the ER. This gives you a clear framework for decision-making during health events.

7. "Should my parent see any other specialists?"

Geriatricians serve as care coordinators. They can identify when a neurologist, cardiologist, endocrinologist, or other specialist is needed and help coordinate referrals.

8. "What can we do to maintain independence as long as possible?"

Ask about physical therapy, occupational therapy, home modifications, exercise programs, and social engagement. Geriatricians often have strong opinions about maintaining function.

9. "What screenings should we still be doing? Which can we stop?"

As patients age, the benefits of some screenings (mammograms, colonoscopies, prostate screenings) may decrease. A geriatrician can help decide which screenings remain valuable based on life expectancy, goals of care, and risk.

10. "How should we approach vaccinations?"

Older adults often need specific vaccines: shingles, pneumonia, RSV, annual flu, and COVID boosters. Ask which are recommended and the optimal schedule.

11. "What should my parent's diet look like at this age?"

Protein needs actually increase with age. Geriatricians can assess nutritional status and provide guidance on diet, supplements (B12, vitamin D), and hydration needs.

12. "Are there signs of depression or anxiety that we should watch for?"

Depression and anxiety are dramatically underdiagnosed in seniors, and they often look different than in younger adults. Irritability, sleep changes, appetite changes, and social withdrawal may be key signs. Ask about screening.

13. "Should we have conversations about advance directives and goals of care?"

A geriatrician can help facilitate important conversations about what care your parent does and does not want in various scenarios. If these documents aren't in place, they can help with the process.

14. "What resources do you recommend for caregivers?"

Many geriatric practices have social workers, care coordinators, and connections to community resources. Ask specifically about support groups, respite care, and local aging services.

15. "How often should we come back?"

Get clarity on follow-up frequency and what circumstances should trigger an earlier visit. This helps prevent gaps in care.

Questions to Ask Yourself Afterward

After the visit, reflect:

• Did you feel heard?
• Did the doctor spend appropriate time with your parent?
• Did they explain things clearly?
• Did they have an opinion about medications or care plans?
• Will you trust this person to guide your parent's care?

Good geriatricians are worth their weight in gold. If the fit isn't right, find another.

Follow-Up After the Visit

• Request visit notes through the patient portal or by phone
• Update your parent's medication list with any changes
• Schedule any recommended referrals promptly
• Share key findings with other family members and caregivers
• Add follow-up appointments to your calendar

Keep the Information Organized in Brelti

After the first geriatric visit, you'll have lab results, new recommendations, referrals, and possibly medication changes. Upload visit summaries and documents to Brelti's Vault, update the medication list for your entire care team to see, and add follow-up appointments to the shared calendar. Bella (Brelti's AI assistant) can later help you search across these documents when questions come up — "What did the geriatrician say about Mom's blood pressure medication?" becomes a 10-second answer instead of a search through stacks of paperwork.

Preparing for a geriatric visit? Join Brelti's beta program and keep everything organized so your first visit delivers real value.