The geriatric imperative is a movement to promote health by preventing and treating diseases and disabilities in older adults. The baby boomer generation has come of age & resulted in 10,000 Americans becoming eligible for Medicare each and every day. Although the average Medicare percent for hospitals in the United States rests at 41%, a few hospitals in the country are managing an increased demand and NCH is in this category. Sixty-one percent of the population served at NCH are Medicare patients, and this is projected to increase significantly in the coming years.

The Brookdale Geriatric Center was launched in 2015 and will become the epicenter for specialized geriatric services for the region inclusive of educational outreach for the elderly and their caregivers. Development strategies include initiatives for advancing professional practice & specialization, recruitment of geriatric specialists—including physicians and nurse practitioners, programming related to geriatric assessment, research & technology applications, patient/family education & support, as well as linkages with community-based providers.

The organization is aligning with leading entities within the fields of geriatric and palliative care, including NICHE [Nurses Improving Care for Hospital Elders], and the Center for Advancing Palliative Care. Through these associations staff will have access to resources to advance specialized education offerings, program development and program evaluation initiatives.

A central theme of this imperative is to improve access to specialized resources and services. In 2012 the Leadership Coalition on Aging—Collier County commissioned Florida Gulf Coast University to conduct a study on the service needs and gaps relative to seniors within the Naples area, including healthcare. Stakeholders identified the overarching issue as the “complexity of the social systems, the lack of knowledge about what is available and how to access them.”