Geriatric medicine

Our expert doctors and providers give you the ongoing guidance, screenings, and support you need to build a strong foundation for your health. This includes free, annual wellness visits for patients 65 and older to review your health history, check for concerns like memory changes, depression, or fall risk, and create an individualized plan for healthy living. It’s a proactive way to set goals and get the tools you need to stay active and maintain your daily routine.

For acute or chronic issues that require immediate attention or regular care, your primary care team is available as needed to diagnose and treat conditions as they arise. Our deep experience in geriatric medicine helps us get to know you and your needs, while offering the type of health care and support that works best for your life.

For people who are homebound and find it challenging to travel to a doctor’s office for health care needs, we bring primary care right to your home. Our doctor and nurse practitioner teams deliver care where you live and work with community agencies to coordinate additional in-home services to ensure all your health needs are met.

You can receive a variety of services, including care for acute and chronic conditions, lab tests, x-rays, and other diagnostics. Our providers can help with prescribing or refilling medications and make referrals to other care specialists, if needed. If you’ve recently been discharged from the hospital, we’ll typically schedule a visit within two weeks to get you started. Our goal is to set you on a path to provide convenient care and support to keep you healthy.

Nursing homes offer 24-hour assistance, providing both daily support and essential medical and medication services. Penn Medicine provides routine care and treatment of acute illnesses for our geriatric patients residing in local nursing homes. We offer wellness visits, health screenings, and management of chronic conditions to address physical, mental, and emotional conditions.

Our established relationships with many nursing homes in the area allow us to work closely with their nursing teams, ensuring a continuum of care. Our geriatricians serve as medical directors and provide care at these facilities.

Memory loss may be caused by many factors, including age, conditions like thyroid disease and sleep disorders, as well as Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, Parkinson’s disease, and other neurological disorders. At Penn Medicine, we offer patients and families facing memory disorders a centralized resource for diagnosis, treatment, and support. Physicians and nursing staff with expertise in neurology, geriatric medicine, and neuropsychology collaborate to address each patient’s unique needs.

Selecting long-term care is a deeply personal decision, and it’s essential to explore each option thoughtfully. You’ll want to find the level of support that fits your needs and a setting where you can feel truly comfortable.

As you begin to experience age-related changes, our long-term care planning services can help you and your family make plans for future care. We can work with you to:

• Identify indications that additional care might be necessary
• Estimate timelines and suggest what level of care might be most appropriate
• Explain options, such as assisted living and skilled care, and suggest what you might look for when evaluating these facilities