Mission Statement
- Improve and expand the capability
of Veterans' Administration
health-care facilities to respond
with the most effective and appropriate services possible to the medical, psychological, and social needs of the increasing number of older veterans.
- Advance scientific knowledge regarding such needs and the methodsof meeting
those needs by facilitating a higher quality of geriatric care through:
- Geriatric and gerontological research
- Training of health personnel in the provision of health care to older individual
- Development and evaluation of improved models of clinical service for older veterans.
Programs
 Geriatric Evaluation and Management Clinic (GEM)
This is an outpatient based consultation service that provides assessment and some care coordination for frail older Veterans living in the community. Patients can be referred to the GEM by any clinician.
The GEM is an interdisciplinary team care model that provides comprehensive geriatric assessments. Representatives from geriatric medicine, nursing, psychology, pharmacy, social work, geriatric psychiatry, physical and occupational therapy comprise the core team.
- Assessments take place at the University Drive Division (Oakland) and can take two or more half-day sessions.
- Once the individual clinical evaluation is complete, a discussion among the team members takes place and a plan of care is established.
- Following the team meeting, a family conference is held with the patient and caregivers.
- You will be expected to participate in the clinical evaluation, team meeting process and the family conferences. [back to top]
 Mobile Geriatric Unit
The VA Mobile Unit is a 31-foot vehicle equipped with an exam room, check-in area, bathroom, wheelchair lift, and patient education room that delivers community-based care to Veterans at three locations rotating every four weeks.
The mobile unit is at one site for the day’s session. The purpose of the mobile unit is to make health care accessible to groups that traditionally have not utilized the services offered at the VA, including racial minorities, the economically disadvantaged, and the seriously and persistently mentally ill.
The targeted population is older Veterans not actively receiving care.
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 Home Based Primary Care (HBPC)
To be eligible for home care, the patient should be homebound or need assistance to get out. HBPC provides long-term care for chronically ill patients, and is not restricted to a limited number of visits.
Currently, at least two-thirds of the patients enrolled in HBPC receive primary care through physician visits in the home. The establishment of the GRECC has increased the multidisciplinary programs that homebound patients can now receive.
This includes the participation of trainees and their preceptors from OT, PT, psychology, geriatric psychiatry, geriatric medicine, pharmacy, chaplaincy and social work. Veterans have benefited greatly from the care provided by this expanded team.
Groups of multidisciplinary trainees have benefited from learning about the challenges and unique aspects of providing care in the home. In addition, the team has learned from the addition of the trainees, which teach the team more about their own areas of expertise.[ back to top]
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