Older Adults

Addressing the Unique Care Needs of Older Adults

There is an urgent need for age-friendly healthcare – over 1.5 million of the 7.7 million adults in Michigan are over the age of 65, according to current census data.

Many older adults have more than one chronic disease and take multiple medications. Further, individuals in this rapidly growing population live with uncertainty as they transition from living independently to reliance on others. All of these have implications for healthcare — with advanced age, medical care and treatment becomes more complex.  

To address this matter, The John A. Hartford Foundation and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) in partnership with the American Hospital Association and the Catholic Health Association of the United States (CHA) created the Age-Friendly Health Systems initiative. The goal of the initiative is to rapidly spread an evidence-based practice, known as the 4Ms Framework, to 20% of U.S. hospitals and medical practices by 2020.

As a patient safety and quality organization committed to better outcomes, the MHA Keystone Center is pleased to announce the launch of a second cohort of the Age-Friendly Health Systems Action Community.

Learn More

• Invitation Guide: This resource details the MHA Keystone Center Age-Friendly Action Community structure, benefits, timeline and data requirements.
• Overview Brochure: Designed for trustees and leadership, this document provides a high-level synopsis of the need for Age-Friendly Health Systems and how organizations can benefit from participating.
• Informational Webinars: The MHA Keystone Center is hosting two informational webinars Dec. 15 and Jan. 21 to discuss the program requirements and overall framework. The content of both webinars is identical so that members can choose the most convenient date.

What is an Age-Friendly Health System?

An Age-Friendly Health System is one in which every older adult's care is:

• Guided by an essential set of geriatric evidence-based practices (4Ms Framework):
  • What Matters: Know and align care with each older adult's specific health outcome goals and care preferences including, but not limited to, end-of-life care and across settings of care.
  • Medication: If medication is necessary, use age-friendly medication that does not interfere with What Matters, Mobility, or Mentation across settings of care.
  • Mentation: Prevent, identify, and treat dementia, depression, and delirium across settings of care.
  • Mobility: Ensure that older adults move safely every day to maintain function and do What Matters.

• Causes no harm.
• Consistent with What Matters to the older adult and their family.

Additional information about Age Friendly Health Systems is located on IHI’s website.

MHA Keystone Center Age-Friendly Health Systems Action Community

The MHA Keystone Center is convening its second Age-Friendly Health Systems Action Community from March to September 2021. The following teams are invited to join the Action Community:

• Hospital-based teams (e.g., emergency departments, ICUs, general wards, medical-surgical units).
• Ambulatory care teams (e.g., primary care, specialty care).
• Extended care teams (e.g., long-term care/skilled nursing facilities).

Health systems, hospitals and outpatient settings in Michigan can choose to enroll at the unit/site level or organizationwide. Participants can engage as many sites/units/teams as it would like to participate in the MHA Keystone Center Action Community.

Participants will test the 4Ms Framework in their setting, hear from subject matter experts and share learning with peers during the seven-month virtual community.

Benefits of the Action Community

• Redeploying and prioritizing existing hospital/health system resources.
• Supporting your health organization’s mission, vision and values.
• Improved, cost-effective care for older adults through the organization and delivery of evidence-based care.
• Avoiding costs of poor-quality care resulting from fewer iatrogenic complications, fewer undesired medical interventions, and improved patient safety
• Enhancing and adding revenue from high-quality care resulting from expansion of appropriate outpatient services. Increase fee-generating encounters through Medicare Annual Wellness Visits, resulting in encounters such as advance care planning and health screenings.
• Achieve public recognition as an Age-Friendly Health Systems Participant or Age-Friendly Health Systems – Committed to Care Excellence on IHI’s website.  

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The MHA Keystone Center Age-Friendly Health Systems Action Community is funded by the Michigan Health Endowment Fund.

Members with questions may contact the MHA Keystone Center.

  Invitation Guide

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