Reducing Risks for Older Adults With an Interprofessional Community-Academic Partnership: A Case Study

Home Healthc Now. 2018 Nov/Dec;36(6):362-368. doi: 10.1097/NHH.0000000000000696.

Abstract

As the older adult population in the United States increases and diversifies, understanding and reducing risks for hospitalization and institutionalization can reduce burdens for this vulnerable population. Using evidence-based assessment tools to understand medical, psychosocial, pharmacologic, and functional status can aid an interprofessional team to best evaluate older adults at risk. By providing culturally competent care for a diversifying older adult demographic, attention to social determinants can improve health equity for this population. This article describes in a case study exemplar, how one such interprofessional collaborative practice program, Geriatric Outreach and Training with Care (GOT Care!) provides a comprehensive assessment for high-risk older adults, identifies and documents these risks, and shares recommendations and rationale with the primary care provider toward risk reduction and improvement of outcomes.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Culturally Competent Care / methods*
  • Emergency Service, Hospital / statistics & numerical data
  • Female
  • Geriatric Assessment
  • Hospitalization / statistics & numerical data
  • Humans
  • Interdisciplinary Communication*
  • Interprofessional Relations
  • Male
  • Outcome Assessment, Health Care
  • Patient Care Team / organization & administration*
  • Patient Comfort / methods*
  • Risk Reduction Behavior
  • Treatment Outcome
  • United States
  • Vulnerable Populations