Geriatrics

In our department, elderly people are evaluated in respect to hypertension, coronary heart disease, cardiovascular diseases and risk factors, chronic pulmonary diseases, diabetes mellitus, high cholesterol, general check-up and other internal diseases as well as prostatic diseases, falls, fractures, osteoporosis, arthritis, incontinence (unintentional loss of stool or urine), depression, dementia, social and functional life of elderly people and accurate medication use.

Any patient who applies to our department is subjected to an extensive geriatric evaluation. Patients are given an extensive examination after they are subjected to tests for evaluating functions at home and during daily life (Daily Basic Life Activities Test, Lawton & Browdy Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale), evaluation test for nutritional status (Mini Nutritional Test), forgetfulness tests (Mini Mental Status Exam, Clock Drawing), depression test (Yesavage Geriatric Depression Scale), movement problems test (Mobility Test) regardless of the symptoms of patient. Patient evaluation lasts approximately 30-45 minutes. Furthermore, when deemed necessary, patients are evaluated by geriatrics nurse, social services expert and dietician, who is also included in the geriatrics staff.

In our department, appointments for examination in outpatient clinic can be scheduled by dialing 444 4 444 and clicking “Online Appointment” link.

Besides, examination and check-up appointments are given by secretariat of outpatient clinic as well.

Patients above the age of 65 are examined.
- Patients 65 year old and above should receive an appointment from Geriatrics outpatient clinic for diseases and disorders related to internal medicine (such as diabetes, hypertension, joint pain, asthma, osteoporosis, coronary artery disease, cardiac dysfunction).

Examinations are given before the noon while the results are evaluated in the afternoon in the rooms of Outpatient Clinic of Geriatrics. Also, patients can be admitted for evaluation on any working day for emergency cases.

Trainings are held until noon on Wednesdays.

Geriatrics Training Programs are organized every Tuesday between 15:00-17:00 with the participation of geriatrics specialist, geriatrics nurse, social services expert, psychologist, geriatrics physiotherapists and ergotherapists for geriatrics patients and relatives who have received examination in our outpatient clinic. You can receive detailed information on the subject from our outpatient Clinic.

Nurse

Specialist Nurse Pınar Gürün

Provides education and counseling about geriatric syndromes to patients presenting to the geriatrics outpatient clinic and to their relatives/caregivers.

Topics taught by the geriatric nurse;

Dementia

To plan the care of patients newly diagnosed with or being followed for dementia, she educates caregivers about the course of the disease. The education covers “dementia, the stages of dementia, the cognitive, physical and behavioral problems that may be seen in patients according to the stage of dementia, coping with these problems, communication techniques, sharing care, and information about services and institutions from which support can be obtained during the care process.” Education sessions with caregivers are planned separately for each patient, with the participation of all relatives responsible for the patient's care (spouse, children, etc.). The education can be repeated as often as caregivers need, or counseling can be provided for problems they experience. The dementia information training is given together with the social work specialist.

Urinary Incontinence

Evaluates patients with urinary incontinence, educates the patient and follows them up.

Medication Use Education

Educates patients who use multiple medications (polypharmacy), including a relative of the patient in the education, about medication use and follows them up.

Sleep Problems

Provides sleep hygiene education to patients who have sleep problems.

Falls

Provides fall prevention education to patients with falls problems and their relatives.

Pressure Ulcers

Educates relatives of patients with pressure ulcers who present to the outpatient clinic about wound care and the care of bedridden patients.

Social Services

Social Work Specialist Beste Başak ERÖKSÜZ

At the first meeting with an elderly patient, she carries out a social and environmental assessment. She evaluates who and where the patient lives with, education level, economic status, active role in life, care needs and caregiver needs, caregiver burden, the caregiver's need for support, physical disability status, shopping and travel abilities, and social activities, and intervenes regarding the patient's problem. All of this work is carried out in coordination with the geriatrics team.

She meets with elderly patients presenting to the geriatrics outpatient clinic who live alone, have disabilities, need care, have care problems or have no relatives, and carries out the necessary evaluation and referral. She provides psychosocial support according to the patient's needs.

When an elderly person cannot manage on their own, she provides guidance on arranging a caregiver in line with their own wishes and those of their relatives. She informs elderly people with care problems and their relatives about the relevant social service organizations (nursing homes, care homes, rehabilitation centers, etc.).

She meets with patients who live alone, have no relatives, or come from out of town for treatment and have a problem finding a place to stay, and provides the necessary referrals.

She meets with outpatients or inpatients who have difficulty adapting to the disease and treatment process or who refuse treatment, and carries out appropriate professional interventions to help them accept the diagnosis and adhere to treatment.

She provides the necessary guidance, especially for care patients, to obtain a disability report and explains the rights of persons with disabilities. She provides counseling on legal procedures such as appointment of a legal guardian and companion reports.

The Social Work Specialist, together with the Geriatric Nurse, meets with patients diagnosed with dementia and with caregivers of elderly people cared for at home to discuss care planning. In this context, she provides the dementia information training.

Psychologist

Psychologist Aykut Sağır

Works on the cognitive assessment of individuals aged 65 and over, guiding them in terms of mental and cognitive health, informing patients' relatives about brain diseases seen in old age, and supporting them according to the needs of the patients.

Geriatrics Department is found in Hacettepe University Hospitals

Telephone:

+90 (312) 305 15 38 (Polyclinic secretariat)
+90 (312) 305 19 02(Professors’ secretariat)