AAFP Geriatric Medicine Edition 13

Format: 39 MP4 + 28 PDFs

Course Overview :

AAFP Geriatric Medicine Edition 13 is a comprehensive continuing medical education program designed to help family physicians and healthcare professionals address the increasingly complex health needs of older adults.

As patients age, they often experience multiple acute and chronic conditions that require coordinated, evidence-based, and compassionate care. This program provides practical clinical knowledge and tools to support healthcare professionals in the diagnosis, treatment, management, prevention, and ongoing care of common conditions affecting older adults.

The course also emphasizes effective communication, patient and family education, care coordination, and strategies for overcoming barriers to better health outcomes.

Key Topics

The program covers a range of important issues in geriatric and primary care, including:

• Heart failure
• Hospice and end-of-life care
• Chronic disease management
• Elder abuse and patient safety
• Stroke
• Appropriate use of antibiotics
• Immunizations for older adults
• Advance care planning
• Diabetes and cardiovascular risk factors
• Depression and behavioral health
• Alzheimer's disease and cognitive health
• Common neurological conditions
• Patient and family education

Learning Objectives

Apply Evidence-Based Guidelines

Improve adherence to current evidence-based clinical guidelines for the assessment and management of common geriatric conditions in primary care.

Develop Comprehensive Treatment Plans

Develop evidence-based strategies to diagnose, treat, and manage common acute and chronic conditions, as well as neurological, neurodevelopmental, and behavioral health concerns encountered in primary care.

Strengthen Chronic Disease Management

Use practical tools and care-management strategies to help patients better control chronic illnesses. The program also addresses approaches that may support practice transformation and quality improvement.

Improve Patient Communication

Develop effective communication strategies to ensure that patients and their families understand diagnoses, treatment recommendations, care plans, and available options.

Support Collaborative Care

Recognize situations in which referral to or consultation with other healthcare specialists may be appropriate to provide comprehensive and coordinated patient care.

Address Barriers to Better Health

Learn strategies for helping patients overcome barriers to lifestyle and treatment changes associated with chronic disease. The program considers factors such as:

• Cultural competency
• Health literacy
• Access to healthcare services
• Social and practical barriers to care
• Patient engagement and adherence

Promote Preventive Health

Strengthen patient education and counseling related to behavior modification, risk reduction, disease prevention, and strategies for improving long-term outcomes.

Practical Clinical Focus

The program emphasizes knowledge that can be directly applied to everyday primary care. Participants can strengthen their ability to identify common geriatric conditions, develop appropriate management plans, coordinate multidisciplinary care, and communicate effectively with older patients and their families.

Particular attention is given to the complex interaction between chronic disease, neurological health, behavioral health, functional needs, and quality of life in older adults.

Who Should Attend?

This program is particularly relevant to:

• Family physicians
• Primary care physicians
• Geriatric healthcare professionals
• Nurse practitioners
• Physician assistants
• Nurses
• Other healthcare professionals involved in the care of older adults

Program Benefits

By completing the program, healthcare professionals can enhance their ability to:

• Deliver evidence-based geriatric care
• Diagnose and manage common conditions affecting older adults
• Improve chronic disease outcomes
• Address neurological and behavioral health concerns
• Communicate effectively with patients and families
• Support shared decision-making and advance care planning
• Identify when specialist consultation is appropriate
• Address barriers that affect adherence and health outcomes
• Provide compassionate, patient-centered care throughout the aging process

AAFP Geriatric Medicine Edition 13 provides a practical and comprehensive foundation for clinicians seeking to improve the quality, safety, and effectiveness of care for older adults in primary care and other healthcare settings.