PRHC Recognized With Age-Friendly Health System Designation

The Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) has been recognized as one of the first hospitals in Canada to receive the Age-Friendly Health System designation from the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), announced on Wednesday.

File Photo.

Over the past decade, PRHC has developed its Seniors’ Care Centre of Excellence, supported by a comprehensive seniors’ care strategy according to a press release. PRHC joins an international group of more than 2,700 health systems that work to tailor care to patients’ goals and preferences, delivering consistently high-quality care according to Noel Bennett, Vice President of Clinical Services and Chief Nursing Executive (CNE).

“The Peterborough region is among the fastest-growing communities in the country, as well as the oldest population demographically in Canada, with 22 per cent of residents over the age of 65,” he said. “As our community continues to grow and age and as our patients’ care needs evolve and become more complex, it is critical that we continue to transform, innovate and invest in programs and partnerships to support seniors. This Age-Friendly Health System designation is an important step forward, recognizing our efforts to date and supporting our ongoing work to improve the care we provide.”

The IHI’s age-friendly health system designation is based on a series of practices focused on addressing four l essential elements of care for older patients, known as the 4Ms:

  • What Matters: Know and align care with each older adult's specific health outcome goals and care preferences across settings of care, including end-of-life care.

  • Medication: If medication is necessary, use age-friendly medications that do not interfere with what matters to the older adult, mobility, or mentation across settings of care.

  • Mentation: Prevent, identify, treat, and manage 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.

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