Geriatric & Dementia Care Nursing

Nurses working in Geriatric wards at The CGH-SACH Integrated Building provide comprehensive geriatric assessment and management to optimise the health, independence and quality of life of elderly patients with complex health problems. They are trained to care for patients with conditions such as dementia, delirium, falls, or incontinence. They are also trained to provide good quality of care for patients with dementia during their stay in the hospital through a person-centred philosophy. They are equipped to manage patients with challenging behaviours and in the activities of daily living for patients with dementia.

Nursing Improving Care for Health system Elders (NICHE)

NICHE is an international programme designed to help hospitals and healthcare organisations improve care of older adults. With the average age of the population increasing, various disciplines across hospitals are now seeing the need to accommodate and care for an elderly population with disabilities.

Since 2014, CGH has been a member of NICHE and aims to equip our front-line nurses with fundamental geriatric nursing knowledge. With NICHE in place, geriatric nurses lead and facilitate the formation of nursing and hospital steering committees, which in turn, have introduced a four-tiered level of training to empower nurses to advocate care for the elderly. The vision statement of NICHE in CGH is: older adults will maintain their optimal health and function through a person-centred care approach and smooth transition home with continuity of care.

The CGH NICHE model involves clinical competency development and quality improvement through geriatric-specific competency development and patient-centred geriatric nursing care delivery. Professional development includes projects, programs and events, and engaging staff in research and improvement projects.