For the past 10 years, Don Melady, MD, has been an integral part of the GEDC Faculty. He has made invaluable contributions to GEDC Bootcamps, live expert-panel webinars and the growing body of research, education modules and resources available in the GEDC Library. It is with immense gratitude that GEDC announces his retirement from our organization in January.
“My work with the GEDC has been among the most enjoyable and impactful years of my career,” Melady said. “It was a wonderful experience to find a like-minded group of clinicians — doctors, nurses, social workers, physiotherapists and others — with whom to collaborate and expand quality care for older adults. Although I will be less actively involved on a daily basis starting in 2026, I look forward to watching and sharing in some of the ongoing accomplishments as the field continues to grow.”
During his nearly 40-year career as an emergency physician, Melady has been a pioneer in the growing field of geriatric emergency medicine. Among his many contributions to the field is the development of Geri-EM.com, a collection of e-learning modules that equip clinicians in emergency departments and other care settings to provide optimal care for older adults.
The modules, which were supported by a 2011 Innovation Fund Grant from the Ontario Government, are now housed on the GEDC website after a thorough update in 2023. They have accounted for more than 25,000 clinical, accredited learning hours for clinicians worldwide.
Additionally, Melady created a geriatric emergency medicine fellowship at Mount Sinai Hospital at the University of Toronto, where he is a professor of emergency medicine. The fellowship is one of only five in North America and has produced significant leaders in the field across Canada and around the world.
In recognition of Melady’s leadership, the University of Toronto raised more than $3 million to create an endowed chair, The Dr. Don Melady Chair in Geriatric Emergency Medicine. It recognizes his legacy by supporting future leaders in the field.
Melady joined GEDC in 2015, helping to plan the organization’s first Bootcamp, an opportunity for healthcare organizations to receive expert guidance in meeting their goals for GEDA accreditation and improving the quality of care for older adult patients. Since that time, Melady has shared his expertise through countless GEDC blogs and other educational materials, as well as serving as the host for GEDC’sexpert-panel webinars that have reached more than 4,000 live attendees.
“Dr. Melady is a guiding light in geriatric emergency medicine,” said Kevin Biese, MD, MAT, co-principal investigator for GEDC. “The silver fox is an educational master, the most charming webinar host imaginable, and a dear friend. He has made geriatric emergency medicine a core component of emergency medicine – we would not be here without him.”
“We have accomplished so much in these 10 years,” Melady said. “The landscape today for older person care is completely different from 10 years ago. The GEDC can take some pride-filled responsibility for contributing to those changes.”