Pictured: UCI Health geriatrician Steven Tam says the new website provides quick access to valuable information on dementia care for healthcare providers, patients and caregivers alike.
UCI Health gerontology specialists, in partnership with Alzheimer’s Orange County (AlzOC), have developed a new website for health practitioners to improve the care they provide to their patients diagnosed with dementia.
Healthcare professionals can easily access the mobile friendly website for the latest information to help better understand dementia, including behavior issues, communication, everyday care, respite care and safety.
The website is a component of the UCI Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP) funded by the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). The program improves health outcomes for older adults by promoting the development of a healthcare workforce that maximizes patient and family engagement and integrates geriatrics into primary care.
Lisa M. Gibbs, MD, chief of the UCI School of Medicine's Division of Geriatric Medicine & Gerontology and medical director of UCI Health’s premier SeniorHealth Center, serves as principal investigator.
Steven Tam, MD, a geriatric medicine specialist, is the lead UCI Health contact on the project. He worked with Kari Walker, former director of education at AlzOC, and her team.
“Our partnership with Alzheimer’s Orange County has been a successful one, not only for healthcare practitioners, but for the patients they serve as well as their caregivers,” said Tam.
“We are delighted to announce the launch of this important web site that is an outgrowth of a long-standing collaboration with UCI Health’s Division of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology,” said Jim McAleer, AlzOC CEO.
“We’re confident it will be a valuable tool for healthcare practitioners to use at the point of care.”
The UCI Health geriatric medicine program is regularly recognized among the top 50 in the country in annual best hospitals rankings by U.S. News & World Report, and the Division of Geriatric Medicine & Gerontology has long been an advocate for improving the health of older adults.
The UCI Health SeniorHealth Center provides unmatched access to healthcare for older adults and was among the country’s first patient-centered medical homes for geriatric care and the Centers of Excellence in Elder Abuse.