A recent The New York Times article by Paula Span explores how Geriatric Emergency Departments (GEDs) are transforming emergency care for older adults. Through the story of one patient’s experience, the article examines the growing evidence behind age-friendly emergency care and why it matters for our aging population.
Throughout the feature, Paula Span draws on the expertise of national leaders in geriatric emergency medicine, including Dr. Kevin Biese, Co-Principal Investigator of the Geriatric Emergency Department Collaborative (GEDC); Dr. Ula Hwang of NYU Langone Health; and Dr. Cameron Gettel of Yale School of Medicine. The article also features the perspective of Denise Valenzuela, a Geriatric Emergency Nurse (GENI Nurse) at UC San Diego Health, whose work illustrates how interdisciplinary teams help deliver comprehensive, patient-centered care in the emergency department.
The article highlights how geriatric emergency departments are designed to address the unique needs of older adults through specialized assessments, interdisciplinary care, and environments that help reduce common risks such as delirium, falls, and unnecessary hospitalization. Rather than focusing solely on the immediate medical problem, these teams evaluate the whole person, including medication management, cognition, mobility, fall risk, and social support, to improve both short- and long-term outcomes.
We are proud to see geriatric emergency care and the expertise of leaders across the field recognized on a national stage. We encourage our community to read the full article to learn more about the evidence supporting accredited Geriatric Emergency Departments and the ongoing efforts to improve emergency care for older adults.
*Please note that a subscription to The New York Times may be required to access the complete story.