Specialized Care for the Elderly
The Geriatric program at TADH provides specialized care for the elderly. Learn more about the programs and services offered for your loved ones.
Geriatric Inpatient Consultation Team (GICT)
The Geriatric Inpatient Consultation Team (GICT) is an interprofessional team dedicated to the identification, assessment, and management of older adults experiencing frailty and geriatric syndromes during hospital admission.
The team is comprised of Geriatric Assessors: Social Workers, Registered Nurse, as well as a Physiotherapist, Occupational Therapist and Rehabilitation Assistants who collaborate to provide comprehensive, patient-centred consultation services for hospitalized older adults at risk of functional decline, prolonged hospitalization, and loss of independence.
GICT supports early recognition of geriatric syndromes such as delirium, mobility impairment, falls risk, cognitive changes, polypharmacy concerns, and reduced functional reserve. Through targeted assessment and intervention, the team works to optimize function, enhance safety, and support timely, appropriate discharge planning.
Working closely with primary inpatient teams, GICT promotes a Senior Friendly Care approach, focusing on maintaining mobility, cognition, function, and quality of life throughout the hospital stay. The team also supports system navigation by linking patients to appropriate community and post-acute services to reduce risk of readmission and ongoing decline.
Geriatric Emergency Medicine (GEM)
Geriatric Emergency Management (GEM) is a specialized, interprofessional model of care within the Emergency Department focused on the unique needs of older adults living with or at risk of frailty.
In Ontario, GEM programs are typically led by specially trained Registered Nurses working collaboratively with interprofessional partners to provide comprehensive geriatric assessment, early identification of frailty, and targeted interventions for older adults presenting to the ED. The goal is to reduce avoidable hospital admission, prevent functional decline, and support safe discharge planning with appropriate community follow-up.
At our site, GEM is currently supported by a dedicated Registered Nurse who provides expert geriatric assessment, identifies risks related to geriatric syndromes (including delirium, falls, cognitive impairment, functional decline, and medication-related concerns), and collaborates with ED teams to implement timely, individualized care plans.
The GEM role also strengthens system capacity by supporting education, coaching, and consultation for ED staff, improving recognition of frailty and promoting best practice in senior-friendly emergency care. This model aligns with provincial GEM programs across Ontario, which emphasize early intervention in the ED as a key strategy to maintain independence and reduce downstream health system burden.
Behavioural Supports Ontario (BSO)
The BSO Program provides behavioural health care services, helping improve care for older adults in Ontario with, or at-risk of, responsive behaviours or personal expressions associated with dementia, complex mental health, substance use and/or other neurological conditions.
At TADH, our patients are supported by BSO personal support workers and transitional clinical behavioural response specialists. This amazing team provides specialized on-site services for older adults with or at-risk of responsive behaviours or personal expression and, through BSO, offers behavioural assessments and treatment, transitional care planning, education, support and links to specialized care.
Our BSO Program team aims to ensure individual care plans are implemented, provide supports to patients and help model strategies to help lower responsive behaviours.
The Hospital Elder Life Program (HELP)
The Hospital Elder Life Program (HELP) is an innovative delirium-prevention program designed to improve the hospital experience of older adult patients. The goals of the HELP program are to prevent delirium, to maintain the cognitive and physical functioning of patients throughout their hospital stay, to support older patients to return home from the hospital, as independently as possible, and to prevent unplanned returns to the hospital.
The program strives to support enrolled patients up to three times daily, seven days a week by providing the following services:
Daily visiting through increased orientation and social support;
Early mobilization by encouraging patients to keep moving;
Hearing and vision support by offering access to glasses and/or hearing amplifiers;
Therapeutic engagement through meaningful activities that keep the brain active;
Meal support such as helping to open packages, tray set-up, socialization, and encouraging fluids when needed; and
Sleep health by promoting more restful sleep routines and relaxation techniques.
Volunteering with HELP is a wonderful opportunity to make a difference in the lives of older patients during their hospital stay at TADH.
We offer free and specialized training for our HELP volunteer team.
We require members of the HELP volunteer team to commit one, 3-4 hour shift per week, over six months or 100-hour period of time.
Home First – Discharge and Home First
Home First is about making sure patients have the support they need to return home safely after being discharged from the hospital or any bedded care. It’s about prioritizing their transition back to their own space, with the right resources and care in place.
Goals of Home First
Better patient outcomes and experiences by reducing the number of patients waiting for long-term care in the hospital.
Identify barriers to discharge sooner and help ensure timely, client-centered transitions in care.
Improved access to care by tackling long-term care waitlists through the Home First approach.
Home First means prioritizing efforts to ensure that processes and resources are in place to support patients in returning home after being discharged from hospital or any type of bedded care.
WHAT TO EXPECT:
During your hospitalization, the health care team at the hospital and community support services will work with you to develop the best discharge plan.
Discharge plans will be determined within 24 to 48 hours of admission.
Home First is about ensuring patients can heal and thrive in the comfort of their own homes.
