Who is responsible for elderly patients on orthopedic wards?

A retrospective survey of the geriatrician's role on the orthopedic ward showed that his or her main aim should be to advise the orthopedic team of the advantages of long-term planning for every elderly patient admitted. From the moment of the initial assessment, it is important to emphasize the need for a more detailed medical, social, and psychiatric history; to alter the management of incontinence; and to point out the differences in the nursing and rehabilitation requirements of elderly patients. Once this is achieved, the geriatrician should revert to the role of the clinical adviser in medical diseases affecting the elderly.