UCI Health geriatric services ranked No. 45 in nation

U.S. News & World Report recognizes county’s only geriatrics program within an academic health system

Orange, Calif. — Geriatric services at UCI Health are among the country’s best, ranking No. 45 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report.

The nationally renowned geriatricians who lead the program — the only one in Orange County that’s part of an academic health system — provide comprehensive, team-based and age-friendly care for older adults.

Leaders in the science of aging

As part of the University of California, Irvine, a world-class research institution, UCI Health geriatricians are leaders in the science of aging, from memory assessments to dementia care and preventive health strategies.

With over $20 million in grant funding, they research new care delivery models, clinical breakthroughs, technological solutions and innovations to advance healthy aging.

Advocacy for older adults

A long-established leader in advocating for older adults, the UCI Health SeniorHealth Center was among the country’s first to establish a patient-centered medical home for geriatric care in 2014. It is also home to the nation’s first Center for Excellence on Elder Abuse and Neglect. For more than two decades, it has worked to educate and eradicate elder abuse and mistreatment locally and nationally.

The center’s Health Assessment Program for Seniors (HAPS) and the Memory Assessment Program for Seniors (MAPS) offer in-depth evaluation and are designed to empower patients and families. Based on the results, patients and caregivers receive recommendations and resources to increase their quality of life. The Falls and Mobility Clinic features experts who provide assessments and interventions to prevent falls and support safe, independent living.

The SeniorHealth Center also has partnered with the University of California, San Francisco, on a statewide initiative called Dementia Care Aware. The program brings dementia education and training to primary care physicians through webinars, podcasts and regional events.

National recognition as age-friendly health system

In 2021, geriatric services spearheaded efforts for the UCI Health — Orange to receive national recognition for excellence in caring for older hospitalized patients. The medical center's Inpatient Care Unit received the Age-Friendly Health System — Committed to Care Excellence award, the highest designation bestowed by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) in partnership with the John A. Hartford Foundation, the American Hospital Association and the Catholic Health Association of the United States.

IHI defines an age-friendly health system as one in which the care of every older adult is guided by a set of evidence-based practices to organize care with a focus on an older adult’s wellness and strengths rather than solely on disease. The aim is to increase patient satisfaction and improve health outcomes, resulting in lower costs for patients and increased cost-effectiveness for hospitals and healthcare practices.

Music as medicine for stroke survivors

In early 2024, senior health services brought UCI Health stroke survivors the West Coast’s first demonstration of “Strokestra,” an interactive rehabilitation workshop created by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) that incorporates creative music-making to foster patient-led recovery.

This year the RPO has returned to teach UCI Health clinicians and musicians best practices for the launch of their own pilot program called “Harmonizing Healing,” the first of its kind in Orange County.

Guiding people with dementia and their caregivers

The federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) selected the UCI Health Population Health and Value Based Care program to participate in Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience (GUIDE) in 2024. The program, headed by the UCI Health SeniorHealth Center in partnership with the Department of Neurology in the UC Irvine School of Medicine, is designed to support people living with dementia, their families and caregivers.

The GUIDE program allows the medical team to spend time with the caregiver; as well as to advocate for them and ensure success in their role. Over the course of eight years, participants receive structured assessments, caregiver support services and coordinated care management through a multidisciplinary team.

Optimal aging and empowered longevity

The UCI Health SeniorHealth Center gathers an interdisciplinary group of professionals — geriatricians, social workers, pharmacists, neuropsychologists, health coaches and registered nurses — under one roof, setting the standard for seamless coordinated care for older adults and those who care for them, while also providing leadership in geriatric education, research, advocacy and community outreach.