What is a Geriatric Department?

1.

What is a Geriatric
Department?
A geriatric department is a specialized medical unit that focuses on the
care and treatment of elderly patients. It is designed to address the
unique healthcare needs of older adults and provide comprehensive,
multidisciplinary care to promote their overall well-being. The department
is equipped with medical professionals who have expertise in geriatric
medicine and understand the complexities and challenges associated
with ageing.

2.

Services Provided by Geriatric
Departments
Medical Care
Rehabilitation Services
Palliative Care
The geriatric department
Patients in the geriatric
Geriatric departments
offers comprehensive
department have access to
provide palliative care to
medical care tailored
various rehabilitation
enhance the comfort and
specifically for the elderly
services such as physical
quality of life for patients
population. This includes
therapy, occupational
with serious illnesses. This
regular health check-ups,
therapy, and speech
includes pain management,
chronic disease
therapy to improve their
emotional support, and
management, and
functional abilities and
assistance with end-of-life
specialized care for age-
overall quality of life.
decision making.
related conditions.

3.

Who Can Benefit from Geriatric
Departments?
1
Elderly Patients
with Chronic
Conditions
2
Patients
Requiring
Rehabilitation
3
Individuals
Needing
Palliative Care
Those needing
Individuals suffering
rehabilitation after a
Patients with terminal
from chronic
stroke, joint
illnesses or those
conditions such as
replacement, or
requiring palliative
diabetes,
prolonged hospital
care can seek comfort
hypertension,
stay can receive
and support from the
dementia, and arthritis
comprehensive
specialized services
can benefit from the
rehabilitation services
offered by geriatric
specialized care
within the geriatric
departments.
provided by geriatric
department.
departments.

4.

Specialist Team in the Geriatric
Department
Geriatricians
Geriatric Nurses
These medical doctors have special
Nurses with expertise in geriatric care
training in the diagnosis and treatment
who provide hands-on nursing care
of older adults.
and emotional support to elderly
patients.
Physical Therapists
Professionals who focus on restoring mobility and functional ability in elderly patients
through specialized exercise programs.

5.

Processes in the Geriatric Department
1
Assessment and Care Planning
Individualized assessments and care plans are created for each patient,
considering their medical, functional, and psychosocial needs.
2
Medication Management
Special attention is given to the appropriate use and management of medications,
taking into account potential interactions and side effects in older adults.
3
Family Consultation
Regular consultations and support are provided to the families of elderly patients
to ensure they are well-informed and involved in the care process.

6.

Psychological Aspects in the
Geriatric Department
Emotional Support
Professional counselling and emotional support are provided to address the
psychological well-being of elderly patients.
Cognitive Assessment
Comprehensive evaluations are conducted to assess memory, thinking, and
reasoning abilities in older adults.
Behavioural Therapy
Therapeutic interventions are tailored to address behavioural and emotional
challenges commonly faced by ageing individuals.

7.

R oles of Nurses in the Geriatric
Department
Health Assessments
Care Coordination
Education and Support
Nurses perform thorough
Nurses play a key role in
Nurses provide education
health assessments,
coordinating care plans
and support to both
ensuring that all aspects of
and ensuring effective
patients and their families,
an elderly patient's health
communication between all
empowering them with the
are monitored and
members of the care team
knowledge to manage
addressed.
and the patient's family.
health conditions and agerelated challenges.

8.

Problems Faced in Geriatric
Departments
1
Complex Health
Conditions
2
Communication
Barriers
3
End-of-Life Care
Providing
Elderly patients often
Challenges related to
compassionate and
present with complex
communication and
effective end-of-life
and multiple health
comprehension may
care for terminally ill
conditions, requiring
arise due to cognitive
patients is emotionally
careful management
impairments or
challenging and
and coordination of
sensory deficits in
requires specialized
care.
older adults.
skills.

9.

Geriatric departments play a vital role in addressing the complex and diverse healthcare needs of
the elderly population. By providing specialized services, employing a multidisciplinary team, and
focusing on holistic care, these departments contribute significantly to the well-being and quality of
life of older adults.