Improving Senior Care at Lakeland Regional Health

Improving Senior Care

with Age-Friendly Health Systems
at Lakeland Regional Health

Older adults are living and working longer, redefining later life, and enriching our communities. As they age, their healthcare needs evolve, requiring a thoughtful and tailored approach that prioritizes their unique goals, concerns, and well-being.

That is why Lakeland Regional Health has joined Age-Friendly Health Systems, an initiative led by The John A. Hartford Foundation and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement in partnership with the American Hospital Association and the Catholic Health Association of the United States.

We are committed to providing high-quality, patient-centered care that aligns with the Age-Friendly Health Systems movement, ensuring that every older adult receives care that is safe, effective, and tailored to what matters most to them.

What is an Age-Friendly Health System?

The Age-Friendly Health Systems initiative is transforming healthcare by focusing on the four essential elements known as the 4Ms:

What Matters: Know and align care, in coordination with family and caregivers, for each older adult’s specific health outcome goals and care preferences.
Medication: If medication is necessary, use age-friendly medications that do not interfere with Mentation, Mobility, or What Matters to older adults across settings of care.
Mentation: Prevent, identify, treat, and manage common conditions in older adults such as dementia, depression, and delirium across settings of care.
Mobility: Ensure that older adults move safely every day in order to maintain function and do What Matters.

How Lakeland Regional Health is Embracing Age-Friendly Care

One of the key aspects of this approach is asking patients what matters most to them. For one patient, it may be managing medications effectively to avoid side effects; for another, it may be maintaining mobility to continue playing tennis. By focusing on individual goals, we open up communication lines, ensure a patient is heard, and align treatment plans that go beyond addressing symptoms.

Vice President of Community Health Dr. Daniel Haight is a leading voice in this initiative at Lakeland Regional Health, emphasizing that age-friendly care isn’t just for older adults—it’s a concept that benefits patients across all age groups. “By embedding age-friendly principles into our care model, we ensure that each patient receives holistic, personalized attention that considers their broader health and lifestyle priorities,” said Dr. Haight.

Expanding Our Age-Friendly Commitment

Lakeland Regional Health has taken meaningful steps to integrate age-friendly care throughout our system.

In addition to the Kathleen Campus gaining recognition for joining the Age-Friendly Health Systems, our emergency room is also designated as age-friendly, ensuring that emergency care for older adults is responsive, compassionate, and tailored to their unique needs. The emergency department also earned Level 3 Geriatric Emergency Department Accredited (GEDA) by the American College of Emergency Physicians. This is a testament to our reputation of providing high-quality, senior-friendly care.

LRH’s Family Medicine Residency Program also plays a critical role in expanding age-friendly care as our residents are trained in Age-Friendly Health System principles, ensuring that they develop skills in caring for older adults with a focus on the 4Ms. This commitment to training the next generation of providers strengthens our ability to meet the evolving healthcare needs of our community.

All of our providers work to provide proactive screening and intervention, implementing evidence-based tools to assess cognitive function, mobility, and overall well-being.

As we continue implementing and refining our Age-Friendly Health Systems approach, we’re excited to see the positive impact on our patients. If you’re interested in learning more about the Age-Friendly Health Systems movement, visit ihi.org/AgeFriendly.

Kathleen Campus

This state-of-the-art facility is designed with you and your health needs in mind offering primary care, family medicine, specialty care, and urgent care.