Celebrating 50 Years of Serving Older Adults

By: Meghan Rossbach
Date: June 3, 2013

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When Mason F. Lord, M.D., was named the director of chronic and community medicine at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center (then Baltimore City Hospitals) in 1963, no one would have imagined that he would transform the medical care of older adults.

“Mason Lord set the precedent for geriatrics,” says Samuel Durso, M.D., director of the Division of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology. “His vision was that health care could be provided to older adults in different settings based on their health needs and functional status.”

Now, 50 years later, the Division has expanded on Dr. Lord’s legacy to offer clinical services in a variety of settings to adults, ages 65 and older:

• Beacham Ambulatory Clinic—primary care and consultation services that address the major health concerns of older adults.
   
• Hopkins ElderPlus—a voluntary adult day program designed to provide and coordinate preventive, primary, acute and long-term care services so that older individuals can continue living in the community.
   
• Elder House Call Program—physicians and other health care providers make home medical visits to patients with chronic medical illnesses who are unable to physically go to their doctor’s office.
   
• Hospital and Post-Acute Care—inpatient services include ventilator and respiratory care, rehabilitation, complex medical care, specialized wound care and therapy, and palliative care.

“The needs of aging adults are constantly changing,” says Dr. Durso. “In the spirit of Mason Lord, we continue to launch clinical programs, conduct more research, and educate our patients and physicians to improve the quality of life for our aging population.”