Creating an elder-friendly hospital

Older adults comprise the majority of people receiving hospital services in many regions of our country today. Current literature is fraught with stories of how risky hospitalization can be for an older adult. Even with the best intentions, being in hospital can set up a cascade of events for older adults and their families that result in longer lengths of stay and functional disability. In a climate of fiscal restraint, competing priorities and public pressure, meeting the challenges of hospitalization for this population is not an easy task. As the number of older adults in acute care rises and the average length of stay continues to decrease, it is necessary for acute care hospitals to rethink their views of caring for older adults; fundamental shifts are required. The purpose of this paper is to describe the "Elder Friendly Hospital" (EFH) concept and explain the strategies taken by the Capital Health Region in Victoria British Columbia.