Geriatric Medicine Department

The St Vincent’s Hospital Geriatrics Department is an integrated, multi-disciplinary unit providing care to older people. It provides comprehensive assessment in partnership with patients, families, carers, general practitioners (GPs), psychogeriatric services, residential aged care facilities, and other government and non-government organizations.

The team evaluates and manages the physical, cognitive, functional and social issues of older adults.  Its’ core work is management of the common geriatric syndromes of dementia, delirium, falls, urinary incontinence, polypharmacy, and frailty, plus other medical problems occurring in older people with multiple co-morbidities.

The unit is focused on providing excellent, holistic and patient-centred care.  The unit focuses on continuing education, research and clinical governance to review and provide the highest quality of care to its’ patients.

The geriatrics unit comprises of care of acute inpatients, consultation service within St Vincent’s Hospital, orthogeriatrics service, outpatient clinics and linked services to War Memorial Hospital, Sacred Heart Rehabilitation Unit, St Vincent’s Community Health, Geriatric Flying Squad, Hospital in the Home, Transitional Aged Care Programs, residential aged care facilities & outreach facilities.

The acute unit at St Vincent’s Hospital comprises of inpatient beds on level 9 North and the co-located Medical Assessment Unit (MAU).  Both wards have dedicated multi-disciplinary staff providing assessment and management of elderly patients admitted to St Vincent’s Hospital.  The MAU is often the initial assessment location from the emergency department or directly from the community.

Developments are under way to redesign the ward into a dementia-friendly environment, including a central “wellness room” to provide a calming and holistic space for many of the patients.

STAFF

The multidisciplinary team comprises of medical, nursing, allied health, administrative staff and volunteers.

The medical team includes 6 staff specialists in geriatric medicine: Dr Sandy Beveridge (Head of Department), Dr Nicholas Ingham, Dr Shahrzad Jahromi, Dr Elizabeth Harper, Dr Patricia Reyes & Dr Nicholas Mills.

They are supported by 4 advanced trainees in geriatric medicine and a team of junior medical staff.

The nursing team is lead by: Jane Hookway (Nurse Unit Manager), Elizabeth Endean (Clinical Nurse Consultant), Eliza Malone(Clinical Nurse Educator), Heather Mackrory (Care-coordinator) and supported by a dedicated team of registered and enrolled nurses.

The multidisciplinary team encompasses each discipline including: physiotherapy, occupational therapy (senior member- WeiHong Zhang), social work (senior member- Merryn Peachey) and representatives from speech therapy, dietetics, pharmacy, pastoral care and a dedicated group of volunteers.

USEFUL NUMBERS

9N Ward Clerk- 02 8382 2460

9N Nurses Station- 02 8382 2467

Medical Assessment Unit- 02 8382 4130

Geriatrics Department Secretary (Ana Paula Costa), for outpatient clinic referrals – 02 8382 4194, fax 02 8382 4193

USEFUL LINKS 

My Aged Care (www.myagedcare.gov.au)

Department of Veteran Affairs (www.dva.gov.au)

Dementia Advisory Service (www.adhc.nsw.gov.au)

Alzheimer’s Australia (www.alz.org/australia)