title: An Elder-Friendly Hospital: translating a dream into reality.
abstract: The complex health profile of an older adult entering a hospital presents staff and administrators with a new challenge. This paper documents the Vancouver Island Health Authority's (VIHA) move towards an Elder-Friendly Hospital (EFH). A new approach to hospital care is described, one that takes account not only of an acute healthcare crisis, but also the developmental phenomena associated with aging, with the likelihood of chronic illnesses compounding both diagnosis and treatment. Customized strategies and suggestions for implementation that may be useful to other healthcare agencies are explained.
authors.affiliation: Older Adult Health, Chilliwack Health Services, Chilliwack, BC. bparke@shaw.ca
authors.forename: Belinda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Parke
authors.forename: Penny
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brand
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001955:British Columbia; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006272:Health Facility Environment; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006739:Hospital Administration / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening; D020380:Needs Assessment; D015279:Organizational Culture; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D009937:Organizational Objectives; D016134:Organizational Policy; D010348:Patient Care Team; D018802:Patient-Centered Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010686:Philosophy, Medical; D016730:Program Development; D018570:Risk Assessment