Senior Healthcare Services

Caring for an older adult or someone with complex medical needs is hard work. Summa Health System is proud to assist with the resources and medical services your loved ones may need.  

Our Senior Health Center is nationally acclaimed for its model of care for seniors at every level of care. We provide an integrated approach that enhances the quality of care and access to services allowing older adults to remain independent as long as possible. The team at Summa Health works together using their collective professional expertise to find solutions that will have the best results for you and your loved ones. We offer inpatient and outpatient care and other senior healthcare services in the following areas: 

• Memory assessment
• Fall assessment
• Geriatric assessment

How We Care For Seniors At Summa Health System

NICHE is the country's leading nurse-driven program designed to help hospitals improve the care of older adults. The program, based at the NYU College of Nursing, is comprised of 500 hospitals and healthcare facilities throughout North America.

Summa Health System – Akron, St. Thomas and Barberton Campuses and Summa Health Center at Wadsworth-Rittman have earned NICHE (Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders) designation for senior care. 

Summa Health System – Akron and St. Thomas Campuses have achieved “Exemplar” status from NICHE, which is the highest level of designation. We achieved Exemplar level because of excellence in the areas of organizational structure, leadership, geriatric staff competence and more. The NICHE designation and the Exemplar status demonstrate Summa Health’s resolve to provide senior healthcare serves that are person-centered, high quality, sensitive and responsive. We strive for organizational excellence, system-wide quality and actions that greatly improve patient outcomes and satisfaction levels.

During Your Visit

The goal of your first visit will be to complete a geriatric assessment and establish a care plan- an "action plan" for future medical care. The plan will: 

• List all identified medical issues
• Suggest any specific interventions or actions required
• Recommend resources to provide any necessary support services

The collaborative care team often suggests care alternatives you might not have considered. Their training, experience and familiarity with the resources available in the Ohio community make them a valuable asset in making decisions about eldercare.

After the first visit, Summa’s geriatricians will communicate with the patient’s primary care physician to share the team’s findings and discuss how to implement the team’s recommendations.

Learn more about Summa Health Senior Health Center.

Geriatric Assessment

Even if you are not concerned about a specific problem your elderly loved one is having, a geriatric assessment may be appropriate. This is simply a comprehensive look at the medical, functional, social and cognitive needs and abilities of a patient by a provider and a social worker. Many times our patients and families refer to this as a “baseline.”

Sometimes we uncover fixable problems, for example, incontinence or constipation that the patient has assumed is normal. Sometimes we are able to streamline a medication list. All the time we are able to provide education and support to patients and their families that are in this caregiving journey.

Memory Services

While memory loss is common in older adults, it should not be considered “normal.” If you notice a problem in your loved one, it is important to have this evaluated.

At the Summa Health Senior Health Center, we are able to perform this evaluation. To assess memory loss, it is important to do the following:

• Take a complete history including onset and progression of the memory problem
• Review the effect the memory loss is having on function (such as driving, personal care, etc.)
• Closely examine all medications that are being taken
• Screen for medical causes of memory loss— generally obtaining blood work and a brain imaging study

After this evaluation, we will provide you with as specific of a diagnosis as possible and make treatment recommendations. It is important that patients with dementia (memory loss severe enough to affect function) get treated early for several reasons:

• Many medications work best when started in the early stage
• Families can learn how best to support a patient struggling with the ramifications of a dementia diagnosis and can learn where to go for help
• Patients can more fully participate in decision making

To learn more about memory loss or to make an appointment, please call 330.375.4100.

When is it time to seek senior healthcare services?

Summa Health has created an assessment to determine if it's time to see a geriatrician. Click here to access the assessment; it only takes two minutes to complete.

For more information about our senior healthcare services, or to make an appointment at the Summa Health Senior Health Center, call 330.375.4100.