La atención geriátrica. Uno de los grandes ejes de la atención sociosanitaria en Cataluña

Abstract

AbstractIn 1986 the Department of Health and Social Security of the Generalitat of Catalonia created the Vida Als Anys Programme. Theaim of this programme was to provide care to elderly individuals with chronic conditions or terminal diseases. Since then, the number of resources has increased, constituting a public network of medical and social services. In addition, the services have been diversified to respond to the needs and planning specified by the Vida Als Anys programme in four areas: geriatric care, palliative care, care of people with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, and care of individuals with neurodegenerative diseases and brain damage.This network has allowed a specific model of geriatric care, based on the comprehensive assessment of the patient by a multidisciplinary team, to be put into practice. The team acts at different levels of care, thus guaranteeing continuity of care. In Catalonia there are 91 hospitals or centres with 88 long-stay units (5564 beds), 90 medium-stay units (2023 beds) and 63 day hospitals (1516 places). There are 53 teams that assess the patient and provide support to the acute hospital team (functional interdisciplinary health and social services units: 25 teams for geriatrics, 20 teams for palliative care and 8 mixed teams), 68 teams that provide support to home care services, and 42 outpatient units for comprehensive assessment in geriatrics, palliative care and cognitive impairment.