geriatrics
Overview of Geriatric Care
Health care settings
Care may be delivered in the following settings: Physician's office:The most common reasons for visits are routine diagnosis and management of acute and chronic problems, health promotion and disease prevention, and presurgical or postsurgical evaluation. Medicare pays for a yearly wellness visit for older adults enrolled in Medicare Part B for longer than 12 months (seeMedicare Coveragefor limits and exceptions). The annual visit focuses on identifying areas of risk, prevention of disease and disability, screening for cognitive impairment, and creating a prevention plan. Home Health Care is most commonly used after hospital discharge, but hospitalization is not a prerequisite. Also, a small but growing number of health care practitioners deliver care for acute and chronic problems and sometimes end-of-life care in a patient's home. One model called These facilities include Assisted-Living Programs , Day Care for Older Adults : Hospital Care and Older Adults : Long-term care hospitals:These facilities provide extended hospital-level recovery and rehabilitative care to patients with severe injuries and clinically complex conditions (eg, severe stroke, severe trauma, multiple acute and chronic problems). These facilities are for patients who are expected to improve and return home but who need a longer period of time. Hospice : In general, the lowest, least restrictive level of care suitable to a patient’s needs should be used. This approach conserves financial resources and helps preserve the patient’s independence and functioning. 