Want better care for older adults? Dakota Geriatrics can assist clinics and long-term care programs to become Age-Friendly Healthcare systems. The certification process is sponsored by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. To become certified, clinical operations reliably adopt the 4M framework whereby each clinical encounter assesses and manages What Matters Most, Medications, Mobility and Mind. By applying this framework, better outcomes are achieved with older adult healthcare. The Dakota Geriatrics program provides 1:1 counseling and training videos to assist in the process of becoming Age Friendly.
Age-Friendly Health Systems is an initiative of the John A. Hartford Foundation and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement in partnership with the American Hospital Association and the Catholic Health Association of the United States.
Why pursue the Age Friendly Framework?
To be Age-Friendly certified, there are three main steps: Gaining Knowledge of the 4M’s, Educating your Team as Age-Friendly, and Develop Age-Friendly Plan with ongoing education.
Step 1: Gaining Knowledge of the 4M’s
The Age-Friendly care model focuses on the 4Ms framework — What Matters, Medication, Mentation, and Mobility — which makes care of older adults, that can be complex, more manageable.
- Complete the 4M’s checklist to help identify any gaps in your current state of the 4M framework.
Step 2: Educating your Team as Age-Friendly
- Utilize the Team Charter to assemble your team, project goals, and measures.
Step 3: Develop Your Age-Friendly Plan
- Your team completes Project Planning form to outline the interventions, measures, and goals.
Helpful Tool
The Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) Worksheet is a simple tool to perform rapid cycle testing to assess whether a change leads to an improvement. PDSA cycles can be logged and tracked on your project planning form.
Cognitive Resources
Training Curriculum
- Train Healthcare Workers About Dementia
Training for the primary care workforce about dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, and caring for those affected.
Screening
- Mini-Cog©
A 3-minute instrument that can increase detection of cognitive impairment in older adults. - Saint Louis University Mental Status Exam (SLUMS)
An assessment tool for detecting mild cognitive impairment and dementia.
Opioids Resource
- Pocket Guide: Tapering Opioids for Chronic Pain
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has prepared a free pocket guide to help physicians considering reducing or eliminating opioid dosage to chronic pain patients.
Telehealth Resource
- The Annual Wellness Visit Telemedicine Toolkit
In response to the challenges posed by the current COVID-19 pandemic, the Community Medical Group has compiled a number of resources designed to help you and your practice continue providing Medicare’s initial and subsequent Annual Wellness Visit using telemedicine.
For more resources, see our Age-Friendly Microlearning.
How to Start
To begin the process in becoming Age-Friendly, and to gain access to Age-Friendly Training modules, please contact Bethany Reed.
COVID-19 Resources
Information for Healthcare Professionals about Coronavirus (COVID-19)
This guidance outlines goals and strategies suggested for U.S. healthcare professionals in response to coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19).
Public Resources
Find geriatrics resources geared towards the general public.
5Ms Framework
Age-Friendly Health Systems
Dakota Geriatrics works with primary care clinics to implement Age-Friendly Health Systems throughout the states of North Dakota and South Dakota. Age-Friendly Health Systems is an initiative of The John A. Hartford Foundation and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) to adapt evidence-based practices and align What Matters to the older adult and their family caregivers at every care interaction.
