The future of veteran care in the United States is inextricably bound to care of the geriatric patient. Through the Extended Care Line at the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center, we offer a continuum of care to older veterans by using in-house and contract services as needed. As a primary teaching hospital for Baylor and other Texas Medical Center institutions, the programs described below also serve as training sites for geriatric fellows and students of medicine, nursing, social work, pharmacy, and dietetics.

The home care program offers a variety of services including at-home clinical care, end-of-life home care, caregiver education, respite and home-maker visits. The interdisciplinary Home Based Primary Care (HBPC) team assesses and provides medical care, skilled nursing services, rehabilitation therapy, social work services, and dietetic services with a focus on supporting and teaching the caregiver to care for the patient. Service is available for up to one year. The HBPC program also coordinates caregiver support groups and senior companion services for our older veterans.

In-patient care accommodates those older veterans who require higher levels of medical attention. The Intermediate Care Unit serves patients who no longer require acute care, but who need additional time for observation and continuing therapy prior to returning home. The Geriatric Evaluation and Management Unit (GEM) consists of designated hospital beds, primary care clinics and a consult service run by an interdisciplinary team. Targeted older patients are evaluated and treated for functional, medical, and psychosocial programs that impede their reaching the highest level of functioning in the least restrictive environment.

Transitional Care Units provide extended care for patients who can benefit from intensive rehabilitation, skin care or other special nursing care not possible through our HBPC program or contract program with community nursing homes. The primary function of this clinical area is to provide necessary interim care, support and rehabilitation as the individual moves from home care to a required acute hospitalization and back to home again. Typical lengths of stay are three to six months. Palliative/End-of-Life care is offered for terminally ill patients unable to be maintained at home.

back to top