Need assessment and operational feasibility indices for a geriatric inpatient facility in a tertiary care teaching hospital

The world is facing a situation without precedent that soon we will have a greater proportion of older people than children and more number of people at extremes of age than ever before. With a rise in the number of older people and increased life expectancy, extended periods of good health, a sustained sense of well-being, improved social engagement and increased productivity accompanied by fewer illnesses, decreased disability, dependency, and reduced healthcare cost are of primary importance. Geriatric illnesses such as non-communicable diseases, mental health problems, and failing health are the priority areas that require continuum of care. However, this is encountered with challenges in providing care such as lack of proper referral mechanism, absence of social security, and transportation issues. This paper aims to perform a need assessment for a separate geriatric inpatient facility as perceived by the geriatric patients. Further, we have discussed the metrics pertaining to infrastructure, manpower, and finances required to set up such a facility.