Geriatrics & Aging

Overview

The UR Division of Geriatrics & Aging is the region’s premier provider of health care services for older adults. With expertise in patient-centered and goal-based care, our Geriatricians provide primary and consultative care across the continuum in Rochester and the Finger Lakes Region. Through our shared vision and collaboration with interprofessional teams, we ensure that patients receive the highest quality care with seamless transitions.

Learn more about our Geriatrics Division.

URMC Geriatrics Group

UR Medicine's Approach

Our providers are some of the most highly trained Geriatric specialists in the region, and experts at managing the often complex care of older adults. We provide on-site medical care to residents at partner nursing homes, and we make house calls to residents at partner senior living communities in and around the Rochester area.

We collaborate with social workers, physical and occupational therapists, the staff of senior living facilities, and other health care providers to offer efficient and comprehensive services to patients right where they live. We also have an on-call service for unexpected medical needs.

When hospital treatment is needed, our patients can be admitted to Highland Hospital, Strong Memorial Hospital, and FF Thompson Hospital. We admit most of our patients to Highland because it offers the most comprehensive and innovative geriatric services in the region, and it is renowned for compassionate care in a comfortable community hospital environment.

URMC offers a variety of services, facilities and resources to address your senior health needs:

What Sets Us Apart?

The University of Rochester Aging Institute

The University of Rochester Aging Institute (URAI) is a University-wide initiative that integrates existing aging-related strengths and expertise, spanning a myriad of departments, schools and research centers across campuses, including research, patient care, education and community outreach. We aim to empower older adults to achieve healthful longevity by promoting vitality, health, independence, and engagement of all adults as they age.

The URAI provides a framework for collaboration related to three pillars of strength across the entire University and Greater Rochester region:

Vital Discovery: Research
Vital Care: Age-Friendly Health Services
Vital Living: Community Collaboration

Strong and Highland Hospitals Achieve Highest Level of Age-Friendly Health System Certification

With support from the UR Aging Institute, Strong Memorial and Highland Hospitals teams have received the highest level of Age-Friendly Health System Certification. This means that we ensure age-friendly care to older adults across all UR Medicine care settings.

The Division of Geriatrics & Aging comprises more than 60 health care professionals including physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants. All are highly-trained geriatric specialists dedicated to caring for older adults.

Our Geriatrician Hospitalists are highly-trained and board certified. Highland has more geriatricians on staff than all other area hospitals combined.
The Acute Care for Elders unit is a collaborative care environment where geriatricians work with a multidisciplinary team to manage the often complex care of older adults.
The Emergency Department has specially-trained staff and protocols in place to streamline the care of older patients, and our facility is equipped with age-friendly features. Highland Hospital and FF Thompson Hospital both have NYS accredited geriatric emergency departments.
The Geriatric Fracture Center, a hospital-based program, is a collaboration between geriatricians, hospitalists, and orthopaedic surgeons at both Highland and Strong. We use the most advanced techniques to quickly repair complex fractures and get patients back on their feet. This model of co-managed care has been copied by hospitals around the world.
Highland Hospital's Elder Life Program coordinates the work of specially-trained volunteers who make regular visits to older patients to reduce their risk of developing delirium.

Geriatrics & Aging Division Research

The UR Aging Institute’s focus on scientific discovery expands the breadth and depth of research on aging conducted throughout the university community to build an enabling research infrastructure that promotes team science, data science, and multidisciplinary aging studies. The UR Aging Institute and Division of Geriatrics & Aging faculty are working to discover novel approaches to increase longevity and health span and translate scientific discovery into innovative approaches to improving patient care and clinical outcomes.

Research Training & Development

The Division of Geriatrics & Aging is committed to fostering the development of outstanding researchers. In addition to conducting research, many division faculty are leading or mentoring quality improvement evaluation initiatives that inform and strengthen research priorities of the division. The division’s training and development programs capitalize on this opportunity for clinical, education, and research mission synergy.

Geriatric Medicine Fellowship

The Geriatric Medicine Fellowship is a one-year ACGME accredited training program for board-eligible internists and family practitioners. Training activities integrate research education, through an evidence-based practice seminar and grand rounds, and can be tailored to include activities to support future research, including quality improvement or program evaluation of older adult care delivery.

Geriatric Medicine Clinical-Research Pathway

Our Division has a commitment to fostering the next generation of clinician scientists in geriatrics. Current and potential Geriatric Medicine Fellows interested in pursuing research training following the completion of the 1-year Geriatric Medicine Fellowship are encouraged to apply.

We successfully integrated a comprehensive Aging Theme into all four years of the undergraduate medical school curriculum that remains fully sustained and serves as a national model, providing a rich foundation in geriatric medicine for all students.