title: Senior friendly health services.
abstract: As our population continues to age and to put increasing pressures on the health care system, we need to evolve the system to be sensitive to the unique needs of seniors. There are many examples of innovative, evidence-based strategies that have been shown to improve outcomes for elderly individuals utilizing health services. The association between the physical environment and its negative impact on outcomes for hospitalized geriatric patients is well recognized. The use of strategies such as an audit tool to guide modifications of the physical environment or formal programs such as HELP, are good examples of practical approaches that can be implemented. The challenge today is for leaders in the healthcare system to champion and develop principles and a vision of care that supports implementation of these elder-friendly approaches.
authors.affiliation: Providence Continuing Care Centre Specialized Geriatric Services Program, Southeastern Regional Geriatric Program, Queen University Division of Geriatric Medicine, Inpatient Geriatric Unit at St. Marys of the Lake Hospital, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hart
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Frank
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hoffman
authors.forename: Donna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dickey
authors.forename: Joyce
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kristjansson
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005851:Geriatric Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006272:Health Facility Environment; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D009731:Nursing Audit; D009864:Ontario; D015279:Organizational Culture; D018802:Patient-Centered Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D016730:Program Development