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Elderly Care Center (ECC)

(45 beds)

The Elderly Care Center at the Geriatric Medical Center is composed of three single-gender units that provide care for 45 elders. The Elderly Care Center offers long-term medical and nursing services to elderly patients above 60 years old from across Lebanon, with the following objectives:

  • Optimizing the elderly’s health.
  • Providing the best comprehensive services for all medical problems.
  • Improving the function of elders to maximize their independence through individual and group rehabilitation.
  • Assisting residents with day-to-day activities through nursing services, as well as recreational and social activities.
  • Developing a comprehensive nutritional plan for all residents to avoid malnutrition.
  • Building expertise of health care practitioners (physicians, nurses, therapists…) in the field of geriatrics and gerontology, and providing a research platform.
  • Ensuring that aging is a process of life development and an opportunity for intergenerational interaction.

The Elderly Care Center aims at preserving and improving the elder’s health and wellbeing. This is achieved through a 24-hour medical and nursing care coverage, rehabilitation, social assistance, psychological services, and recreational activities.

Activities

Medical care

Each elder is provided with care that meets the international standards and medical care best practices. The ECC residents are evaluated by a multidisciplinary team (physician, nurses, physical therapist, dietician, social worker, and volunteer coordinator…) that aims to provide the elders with a comprehensive care plan that fits his/her needs. The medical care is supervised by a Geriatrician and residents.

Nursing care

Nurses play key roles in ECC. Our nurses strive to provide the elderly with the greatest extent of respect, humanity, professionalism, quality care, and integrity along with a comfortable companionship.

Nutritional services

It includes assessing the ECC resident’s dietetic and nutritional plan, continuous supervision of the dining and snack programs, consistent and effective methods of measuring performance (e.g., monitoring nutritional status, screening risk of malnutrition, resident’s weight…), ongoing evaluation of each resident’s care plan and ensuring appropriate corrective actions are taken and documented as required.

Physical Therapy

The objective of rehabilitation and physical therapy in ECC is the promotion of care and the physical function of older adults. This is achieved through the application of programs and activities to prevent and treat anatomic and physiological dysfunctions and to provide rehabilitation to patients suffering from functional deficits.

Psychiatric Services

Elders need to feel safe, remain close to other people and believe that their life continues to be meaningful. Emotional care helps the older adult to deal with vulnerability, loneliness, boredom, isolation and make him/her feel well about himself/herself. Our staff is caring, well trained and experienced in dealing with all these situations.

Social and Recreational Services

Social and recreational activities are considered a priority to keep residents engaged, entertained, and active to the fullest extent possible. Social and recreational activities are an important aspect of our services and are tailored to meet our residents’ needs and interests. We strive to ensure that all residents participate in these activities. Besides, they help the elderly in maintaining their social role, as well as spreading the culture of giving, cooperation, and caring for the elderly in our society.

Social and recreational activities include but are not limited to:

  • Music therapy
  • Dance
  • Laughter yoga
  • Birthday celebrations
  • Holiday celebrations (Grand Parents day…)
  • Field trips
  • Social gatherings
  • Cards

Social and recreational activities are diverse and are highly supported by a team of dedicated volunteers.

Admitting Older Adults to the ECC

Admission to the Elderly Care Center follows a structured process designed to ensure proper evaluation and decision-making. Applications are submitted either by the elderly individual or their legal representative, after which the case is reviewed and assessed. The file is then examined by a designated committee composed of the ECC Director, Head Nurse, Social Assistant, and the Volunteering Team Coordinator, and a recommendation is submitted to the relevant parties for final approval. Upon approval, the resident undergoes a medical assessment and the necessary laboratory tests. Admission to the Elderly Care Center is completed once all evaluations and required administrative procedures have been finalized.

Admission Criteria:

  • The older adult must be ≥65 years old.
  • The medical condition must be stable and non-infectious (free of TB, viral hepatitis, etc.).
  • The Older adult shall not require advanced medical procedures (e.g., tracheostomy, NG tube feeding).
  • The Older adult shall not exhibit uncontrolled psychiatric or aggressive behaviors.
Volunteerism at the Elderly Care Center

Volunteerism has been a cornerstone of the Elderly Care Center (ECC) since the launch of its Volunteer Program in 1995. Today, the program brings together around 30 dedicated male and female volunteers from diverse regions and age groups, united by a shared commitment to service and compassion.

The Volunteer Program plays a vital role in enhancing the quality of care provided at the ECC. It fosters meaningful community engagement, strengthens social responsibility, and enriches the daily lives of residents by offering personalized attention, companionship, and emotional support.

Volunteers actively contribute to a wide range of social, recreational, and fundraising initiatives. These include organizing community events such as themed lunches, brunches, and traditional gatherings, aimed at supporting the center financially. They also help build and maintain strong partnerships with various organizations to promote the ECC’s mission and secure needed resources.

In addition, volunteers represent the center, in coordination with the institution’s team, at workshops, conferences, and community activities, thereby strengthening its visibility and outreach. They also contribute by providing essential supplies, including personal and hygiene items, and by organizing a variety of recreational programs for residents, such as outings, birthday and holiday celebrations, and events like Grandparents’ Day.

The program also emphasizes collaboration with elderly care institutions across different regions, promoting knowledge exchange and strengthening the network of care for older adults.

The ECC continuously welcomes new volunteers who are passionate about making a difference. Individuals willing to dedicate their time and become an integral part of the residents’ lives, through regular engagement, activities, and event organization, are encouraged to join this rewarding journey by completing a Volunteer Application Form.

Geriatric Evaluation and Management Unit G.E.M.

(20 beds)

Geriatric Evaluation and Management is offered through our specialized 20-bed unit providing acute medical care to older patients in need of hospitalization due to acute illnesses not requiring surgical or intensive care unit services. Common diseases that are dealt with in the G.E.M include: heart failure, stroke, pneumonia, acute kidney injury, uncontrolled hypertension, diabetes mellitus, urinary tract infections, diarrhea, dehydration, weight loss, and pressure ulcers.

Patients are evaluated by a multidisciplinary team including a geriatrician, residents training in geriatrics, geriatric nurse specialist, physical therapist, psychologist, social worker, and dietician. This comprehensive evaluation aims to identify all the medical problems that elders suffer from and provides a plan of care to resolve these issues. These patients are then offered follow-up care in the Geriatric Outpatient Clinics. Additionally, the unit offers educational classes to patients and their families on multiple topics of relevance.

Potential candidates for the GEM:

  • Elders aged 65 and above suffering from an acute illness requiring hospitalization such as pneumonia, UTI, other infections, dehydration and who do not require the services of special units such as (CCU, ICU, or surgical intervention), and who are deemed stable by the Geriatric team to be in such a unit.
  • Elders aged 65 and above, who need further hospital care following admission to the intensive care unit.
  • Alzheimer’s patients who need acute hospitalization irrespective of age.
  • Long-term care patients who suffer from an acute illness necessitating hospitalization.

Geropsychiatry

(4 rooms)

Psychogeriatric cases are received in four specialized rooms, designed and equipped in accordance with national and international standards since 2016. These rooms are structured to ensure the safety and security of residents. Each case is managed and closely monitored by a specialized multidisciplinary team, including medical and paramedical staff.

Palliative Care Unit

(8 beds)

The Coma and Palliative Care Unit provides comprehensive medical, nursing, social, and psychological care for patients suffering from incurable or chronic illnesses that are no longer responsive to curative treatment. Care is delivered by a specialized interdisciplinary team responsible for addressing the patients’ complex medical and supportive needs.
This unit was established as a national model in a pilot phase, in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH), the World Health Organization (WHO), and SANAD.

The Palliative Care Unit offers:

  • Management of difficult symptoms: pain, breathing difficulties, nausea, constipation, loss of appetite, fear, anxiety, confusion, depression, and more.
  • Addressing the patient’s changing needs and goals: The palliative care team elicits and incorporates patient/family’s preferences into medical decision-making and adjusts care plans accordingly.
  • Coordination of care throughout the illness: The palliative care team explores the patient’s values and beliefs and provides guidance regarding available treatment options.
  • Education: Provide the patient and his/her family with specific information about his/her current health status, clinical condition, diagnosis, prognosis, and disease trajectory.
  • Emotional support: Palliative care provides patients and their families with emotional and psychological support; thus allowing the patient and his family to understand his/her health condition and how to cope with it.