Geriatric services - Module overview

Module overview

Please note: This module must be read in conjunction with the Fundamentals of the Framework (including glossary and acronym list).

Geriatric services are a specialist area of medicine concerned with the health care, social aspects, preventative and rehabilitation needs of older persons both in health and illness. It involves the maintenance of health and the treatment of disease in older people, and therefore has a broad role across the full health service continuum for older people from home to hospital to home again (modified from Royal College of Physicians, 2000).

1

Geriatric services include assessment, treatment, rehabilitation and clinical advice and liaison for older people with physical, cognitive impairment / dementia, mental health and/or functional support needs. Fundamental to effective geriatric service is comprehensive geriatric assessment, defined in this module as:

 a comprehensive assessment of an older person covering at a minimum current active medical problems; past medical history; medication review; immunisation status; advance care planning arrangements; current and previous physical function including personal, domestic and community activities of daily living; psychological function including cognition and mood; and social function including living arrangements, financial arrangements, community services, social support and carer issues.

2

Services are typically provided by multidisciplinary teams of health professionals with specific qualifications and/or expertise in disease processes and injury in older people, and in assessment and rehabilitation for older people. Some geriatric services may include an ongoing maintenance component to the management of the aging patient. Health care facilities are not obligated to provide designated specialist geriatric services however where they do, these services are required to be consistent with the minimum criteria relevant to the specified service capability levels outlined in this module.

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https://www.health.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0029/444269/cscf-geriatric.pdf