A national shortage of specialty and primary care providers has limited access to care for many Americans with chronic diseases. Barriers to health care access are especially acute in low-income communities where people have public insurance or no insurance at all. This is especially true for the south side of Chicago, where the number of older adults living below the poverty line is twice the national average and 7 of the 8 poorest neighborhoods in Chicago are within UCM’s primary service area. Older adults living within these communities contend with elevated rates of diabetes, hypertension, respiratory disease, arthritis, and other chronic conditions that lead to disability, functional losses, and cognitive decline. Many patients are receiving a variety of complex care at post-acute facilities following a hospital stay or instead of a hospital stay. This care includes short-term and intensive medical care services, leading to an evolving post-acute care system that treats an increasing number of complex medical issues than ever before. As a result, the role of such facilities in treating our aging population will continue to expand and evolve. As such, there is high need for healthcare professionals and direct care workers in these facilities to expand their expertise in caring for older adults.

 

The goal of this educational activity is to enhance access to state-of–the-art care for patients being treated at post-acute facilities. This activity will create a robust network of specialists and providers in geriatric care who share resources and education and lead to an increased capacity among interprofessional staff to improve the health of their patients.