Ten thousand adults turn 65 every day, and US Census data show that the population aged 65 and older is expected to nearly double in the next 30 years. Older adults also expect to live longer than in the past.

For these older adults and their caregivers, the current health care system can be difficult to navigate in order to find the right care at the right place at the right time. For patients with multiple chronic health conditions, this can be an even bigger challenge.

Too often, older adults don’t receive care in the best way, sometimes causing harm. The Age Friendly Health System Initiative aims to align care providers with effective care models to change this. While the knowledge of how to improve care exists, these models only reach a small number of those who could benefit from them. 

At University of Utah Health, we are integrating the 4Ms in more of our patient visits and treatment. For example, we are proud to have a Hospital Elder Life Program that prevents older adults staying in the hospital from developing delirium. Delirium might cause the patient to stay in the hospital longer, potentially resulting in complications.

We also embed the 4Ms within Medicare annual wellness visits offered by our outpatient clinics. As one of the first participants in the Age-Friendly Health Systems Initiative, University of Utah Health is poised to become a national leader in both implementing 4Ms care and assessing the health outcomes of 4Ms care.  

 

 

 

An age-friendly video was recently created with support from the HRSA Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program.  The video, narrated by Andrea Harris, Dr. Timothy Farrell, and Dr. Erica Bisson, aims to introduce University of Utah Health faculty and staff to the concepts of age-friendly care.

Resources

 

Research Retreats

 

Check out the Age-Friendly Health System Website!

Age-Friendly