Geriatric Medicine
Geriatricians provide a comprehensive range of services for our senior patients.
Why choose UCLA Health for geriatric medicine?
Through our Division of Geriatrics, we provide exceptional care for geriatric patients. We have achieved national recognition for our excellence — U.S. News & World Report ranks us No. 4 in the country for geriatric care.
Additional highlights of our program include:
Comprehensive, holistic approach: We understand that multiple factors affect your well-being, including medical, psychological, and social ones. We aim to manage care with a whole-person approach. Through partnerships with community-based organizations, we also can refer you to in-home services, and exercise and wellness programs.
Increased access to care: We offer a range of services in inpatient and outpatient locations. Our core sites offer community-based, nursing home and home care programs. We have designed all our services to ensure that all patients have easy access to the level and type of care they need.
Commitment to research: Our clinicians study how we can improve overall health, quality of life and health care services for older adults. Not only do we lead and implement this research, but we also teach other physicians how to improve their care of older populations.
Our areas of geriatric care
Through the Division of Geriatrics, we offer subspecialty services and programs.
Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care Program: Since we launched this program in November 2011, we have cared for more than 3,000 patients and their families. We partner with community-based organizations to provide comprehensive, coordinated, patient-centered care. Our goal is to maximize patient function, independence and dignity while minimizing caregiver burnout and unnecessary costs.
Inpatient care: We have a special unit at UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center where staff specialize in geriatric care. A team of pharmacists, dietitians, occupational and physical therapists, social workers, and spiritual care providers offer comprehensive services. We have dedicated case managers who assist with short- and long-term care planning to create smooth transitions of care.
Outpatient care: At our four outpatient locations, our clinicians specialize in issues that affect the aging population. We serve as the primary care provider for older adults and can manage all aspects of preventive care or urgent issues. If a patient already has a primary care provider, we can offer expert advice on geriatric conditions or problems that specifically affect older populations.
Medical Home Visit Program: We offer home-based primary care to West Los Angeles and Santa Monica residents. Through the Medical Home Visit Program, we provide high-quality care for patients with complex needs who struggle to get to clinic visits.
Skilled nursing facilities: Patients may receive care in one of our skilled nursing facilities for short-term rehabilitation after a hospital stay or for help managing ongoing needs. Our goal is to provide exceptional, accessible care for both short-term and long-term patient stays.
Conditions UCLA geriatricians treat
Our geriatricians provide both specialized services and primary care for a variety of conditions.
Arthritis: Chronic (long-lasting) joint inflammation that often leads to pain and stiffness.
Dementia: A general term for a decline in cognitive skills, such as problems with memory, problem-solving or language.
Diabetes: Disease that affects how your body processes blood sugar.
Dysphagia: Difficulty swallowing, often the result of another condition, such as stroke.
High blood pressure (hypertension): When the force of blood against your artery walls is chronically higher than average.
Osteoporosis: A bone disease in which your bones weaken or become brittle.
Parkinson’s disease: A nervous system disorder that affects your movements, often leading to tremors (uncontrollable shakes).
Meet the team
Our geriatricians are experts in caring for older patients. We specialize in the management of both routine and complex conditions that affect the senior population. We participate in the latest research and continually implement the newest, most advanced practices in geriatric medicine.
Contact us
Call 800-UCLA-MD1 or 310-825-2631 to request an appointment with a geriatric medicine specialist at UCLA Health.
Find your care
Our geriatric medicine specialists provide exceptional care for senior patients. To find out more about our services, call 800-UCLA-MD1 or 310-825-2631.
