EXPERT
Catherine Lee Cantway
Family Medicine | Geriatric Medicine
Dr. Catherine Cantway practices Geriatric Medicine in STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, CO. Geriatricians prevent, manage, and develop care plans that address the special health problems of the elderly. Dr. Cantway works as part of a team with other healthcare providers, to address the natural aging that goes on within the body and to manage multiple medical problems and ensure social support.
10 years
Experience
Catherine Lee Cantway
- STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, CO
- University of Washington
- Accepting new patients
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How long do people stay in the hospital for pneumonia?
There are a lot of factors that physicians have to consider when taking care of elderly patients in the hospital. Infections like pneumonia can be quite serious, and pneumonia READ MORE
There are a lot of factors that physicians have to consider when taking care of elderly patients in the hospital. Infections like pneumonia can be quite serious, and pneumonia is a common cause of death in the elderly. When an elderly patient is admitted to the hospital, some of the main things we need to consider when planing for discharge include:
Oxygen needs- does the patient need supplemental oxygen, were they on supplemental oxygen before being admitted to the hospital
Antibiotics- is the patient requiring IV antibiotics that need to be monitored in the hospital, or are they on oral antibiotics that can easily be taken at home.
Other medical conditions- did this infection subsequently effect other medical issues, and are those issues under good control
Functionality- hospitalizations of the elderly often cause them to get weaker, less mobile, decreased endurance, etc. Is the patient strong enough to go home and take care of themselves.
Most hospitals will have a discharge planner or a social worker that helps coordinate patient discharge, and I would encourage you to talk to this person to get additional details of how your mother is doing and what the plan is for getting her home.
Thank you
Oxygen needs- does the patient need supplemental oxygen, were they on supplemental oxygen before being admitted to the hospital
Antibiotics- is the patient requiring IV antibiotics that need to be monitored in the hospital, or are they on oral antibiotics that can easily be taken at home.
Other medical conditions- did this infection subsequently effect other medical issues, and are those issues under good control
Functionality- hospitalizations of the elderly often cause them to get weaker, less mobile, decreased endurance, etc. Is the patient strong enough to go home and take care of themselves.
Most hospitals will have a discharge planner or a social worker that helps coordinate patient discharge, and I would encourage you to talk to this person to get additional details of how your mother is doing and what the plan is for getting her home.
Thank you
How dangerous is low blood pressure for elderly patients?
In general, the goal blood pressure for adults is a pressure less than 130/80. In the elderly blood pressures much lower than this can be dangerous because it can lead to decreased READ MORE
In general, the goal blood pressure for adults is a pressure less than 130/80.
In the elderly blood pressures much lower than this can be dangerous because it can lead to decreased blood flow to the brain which can cause people to pass out and fall.
For all my elderly patients with blood pressure issues, I check what we call orthostatic blood pressures. This is where we measure blood pressure with a patient laying down, then they stand up and we check their blood pressure again at 1 and 3 minutes. If there is a significant drop in their blood pressure with standing, then their blood pressure is over treated. Also, if patients report dizziness or lightheadedness when going from sitting to standing, this is another indication that their blood pressures are going too low. If this happens, sometimes we need to make an elderly patients blood pressure goal a bit higher. Every patient is unique, and their blood pressure management needs to be individualized.
Thank you
In the elderly blood pressures much lower than this can be dangerous because it can lead to decreased blood flow to the brain which can cause people to pass out and fall.
For all my elderly patients with blood pressure issues, I check what we call orthostatic blood pressures. This is where we measure blood pressure with a patient laying down, then they stand up and we check their blood pressure again at 1 and 3 minutes. If there is a significant drop in their blood pressure with standing, then their blood pressure is over treated. Also, if patients report dizziness or lightheadedness when going from sitting to standing, this is another indication that their blood pressures are going too low. If this happens, sometimes we need to make an elderly patients blood pressure goal a bit higher. Every patient is unique, and their blood pressure management needs to be individualized.
Thank you
Is talk therapy effective for geriatric depression?
Talk therapy can be very helpful for depression at any age! I certainly encourage trying this. Other things to think about would be pet therapy. Also staying physically active READ MORE
Talk therapy can be very helpful for depression at any age! I certainly encourage trying this. Other things to think about would be pet therapy. Also staying physically active is an important part of treating depression.
Thank you
Thank you
Should I switch my mother's doctor to a geriatrician?
This is always a tough question to answer. Primary care doctors have adequate training to care for patients of all ages. If your mother is a healthy 70 year old, and has a good READ MORE
This is always a tough question to answer. Primary care doctors have adequate training to care for patients of all ages. If your mother is a healthy 70 year old, and has a good relationship with her physician I would probably recommend that she stay with that physician. On the other hand, if she has multiple medical conditions that are becoming difficult to manage, or has signs of impairment of her memory or thinking, it might be reasonable to switch to a geriatrician.
Another option would be to just have a consultation with a geriatrician.
Another option would be to just have a consultation with a geriatrician.
Hot flashes after menopause. Normal?
Unfortunately, hot flashes can persist even after we go through menopause. I would, however, recommend having her physician review all of her medications, because there are a handful READ MORE
Unfortunately, hot flashes can persist even after we go through menopause. I would, however, recommend having her physician review all of her medications, because there are a handful of medications that we use that have a side effect of hot flashes.
What are the first symptoms of dementia?
There are normal changes with thinking and memory that occur with age. These include delayed processing speed, so it may take someone a couple extra seconds to think of what they READ MORE
There are normal changes with thinking and memory that occur with age. These include delayed processing speed, so it may take someone a couple extra seconds to think of what they want to say, or a persons name for example. This can also effect memory, for example we might put our keys down somewhere and temporarily forget where they are, but at some point we should be able to remember where they are. Anything in excess of this could be an early sign of dementia.
Regardless, I do recommend an evaluation by a geriatrician or other physician trained in cognitive health when there is any concern about memory or thinking. The earlier we can detect dementia, the better chance we have of managing it properly. Additionally, a complete cognitive evaluation may just show that your grandmother does not have early signs of dementia and this is just normal changes of thinking and memory that occur with aging, and you can be reassured that she is fine.
Regardless, I do recommend an evaluation by a geriatrician or other physician trained in cognitive health when there is any concern about memory or thinking. The earlier we can detect dementia, the better chance we have of managing it properly. Additionally, a complete cognitive evaluation may just show that your grandmother does not have early signs of dementia and this is just normal changes of thinking and memory that occur with aging, and you can be reassured that she is fine.
