Summa Center for Senior Health

Summa’s Center for Senior Health specializes in coordinating every aspect of an older adult’s care in order to preserve independence for as long as possible. Summa’s Center for Senior Health has ten geriatricians on staff, more than any other health system in the region.

Summa’s Center for Senior Health can help families or seniors who are:

• New to elder care or uncomfortable with elder care decision-making
• Faced with a sudden decision or major change, such as a health crisis or a change in living arrangements
• Dealing with a complex situation such as psychiatric, cognitive, health or social issue with an older adult
• Unsure of what elder care options and services/resources are available within their community

The Summa Difference: Collaborative Care
Summa’s team-based approach to caring for older adults is what makes the Center for Senior Health different.
Renowned for its research and education in geriatric medicine, the Center for Senior Health is a model of care for dozens of other healthcare systems nationwide.

During the patient’s first visit, a board-certified geriatrician, advanced practice nurse and social worker meet with her/him and family, friends or caregivers. This team approach is called collaborative care.

The collaborative care team works directly with each patient and their family member(s) and/or caregiver(s) to develop a customized plan designed to:

• Improve overall health and function
• Improve safety
• Maintain independence
• Provide education to family/caregivers

The team acts as a group of personal consultants, providing advice on how to best meet each patient’s needs. Communication between the team, the family physician, the individual and his/her caregivers is open and continuous. Communication is a vital part of each individual’s healthcare experience. Quality care begins with timely, candid and effective communication.
The team supports the primary care physician, as well as family members, in managing care for older patients through the use of:

• Comprehensive geriatric assessments of older adults dealing with chronic illness and functional difficulties
• Development of a comprehensive care plan that links older adults to useful community resources and services

The proposed care plan will:

• List all identified problems
• Suggest any specific interventions, actions or follow-up care required
• Recommend resources needed to provide the necessary support services

The collaborative care team meets with the patient and his/her caregiver to explain the team’s findings, proposed care plan and recommendations for future care. After the patient’s first visit, the geriatrician share the team’s findings with the patient’s physician and discusses how to implement their recommendations.

Ongoing support and follow-up visits to monitor the results of the plan may be scheduled to ensure that the patient’s care goals are met and their health is improved or maintained. The geriatrician continues to share information with the patient’s primary care physician throughout the entire process.

The Center for Senior Health and its collaborative care teams assists older adults and their families with many different health-related issues, including:

• Confusion and memory loss
• Chronic and disabling illness
• Depression and anxiety
• Decisions about driving and living arrangements
• Future care planning
• Trouble with activities of daily living (dressing, bathing, medication management, etc.)
• Family, friend or caregiver relationships
• Incontinence treatment options

Schedule an assessment at Summa's Center for Senior Health today through our online scheduling system: request an appointment for a senior health assessment 

Or, please call toll free 330.375.3000 to request an appointment.