Addressing the unique care needs of older adults. We are making it happen.
Age-friendly health care is an urgent need. There are more than 46 million Americans age 65 and over, and that number is projected to double to more than 98 million by 2060.
Many older adults have more than one chronic disease and take multiple medications. Many individuals in this population of people live with uncertainty as they transition from living independently to reliance on others.
Age-Friendly Health Systems is an initiative of The John A. Hartford Foundation and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) in partnership with the American Hospital Association and the Catholic Health Association of the United States (CHA). The goal of the initiative is to rapidly spread the 4Ms Framework to 20% of U.S. hospitals and medical practices by 2020.
It is part of the AHA’s commitment to improving the health of people at every life stage and in communities across the country.
As part of the Age-Friendly Health Systems Action movement, we are among the first health systems in the country implementing age-friendly health care.
The four essential elements of an Age-Friendly Health System are known as the 4Ms:
• What Matters Know and align care with each older adult's specific health outcome goals and care preferences including, but not limited to, end-of-life care, and across settings of care.
• Medication If medication is necessary, use Age-Friendly medication that do not interfere with What Matters to the older adult, Mobility, or Mentation across settings of care.
• Mentation Prevent, identify, treat, and manage dementia, depression, and delirium across settings of care.
• Mobility Ensure that older adults move safely every day in order to maintain function and do What Matters.
Join us in the movement!
Let your voice be heard and improve care in your community. Do you see areas where care could be improved? Do you have suggestions regarding parking, registration, hospital rooms, clinic care, etc? Join our team. We meet four times a year and would love to hear your thoughts. Learn more about the Patient and Family Advisory Council today and join our team.
