Geriatrics
| Contact person: | Dr. Ross Moncur |
This rotation includes geriatric care of Hospital In-Patients (at Leamington District Memorial Hospital) as well as Long-term care residents (at several Long-term care homes in Kingsville and Leamington).
Leamington District Memorial Hospital (LDMH) is a community hospital with approximately 65 beds. Of these, the vast majority are occupied with senior citizens. The average age of the resident’s inpatient population is usually approximately 85 years. The Resident will be involved in acute care of the elderly, including common issues such as: CVA, urosepsis, pneumonia, fractures, falls, depression, CHF, acute coronary syndromes, COPD, dementia, myelodysplasia, urinary retention, constipation, new cancer diagnoses, palliative care, generalized pain, abdominal pain, etc. The Resident will be expected to follow his/her inpatients throughout their length of stay (through their acute care stay, as well as during rehabilitation, while awaiting transfer to LTC, and in complex continuing care as required). The Resident will collaborate with the attending physician as well as the Hospitalist Service’s Nurse Practitioner throughout the rotation. Consultation with general surgery, Internal Medicine, and with auxiliary health providers (Dietician, Pharmacists, CCAC Case managers, Physiotherapist, Occupational Therapists, Chaplains, etc) will be commonplace and encouraged. Throughout the rotation, the Resident is also sure to have the opportunity to participate in the Palliative Care of inpatients.
In the long-term care setting, Residents will be expected to accompany the attending physician on weekly rounds and deal with chronic and acute issues facing patients in this setting. This is a great opportunity to become more comfortable with issues such as polypharmacy, falls, UTIs, and management of dementia and its related behaviours.
Objectives for the rotation will be for the resident to develop increasing comfort with the approach to all of the “geriatric giants” listed above, as well as to become more independent in the “MRP” setting, and to have the opportunity to collaborate with the other members of the hospital team. Further objectives can be developed collaboratively at the start of the rotation.
In general, on-call requirements will require one weekend per 4-week block. No on-call duties are required on weekdays.
Leamington is a busy and exciting place to work and learn and learners are welcomed with open arms from fellow doctors, hospital and nursing home staff, as well as patients.
Scheduling: Can take 1 resident/block.
