The clinical rotation in ambulatory care – geriatrics is based at the Seniors Outpatient Clinic (SOPC) located at the Royal Jubilee Hospital – Memorial Pavilion. SOPC serves seniors who are living in the community who have cognitive or mobility issues or are medically complex. SOPC has an interdisciplinary approach. The team includes the following clinicians: geriatricians, geriatric psychiatrists, nurse practitioner, registered nurses, pharmacist, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, rehabilitation assistant and social workers. Each clinician is involved with clients in whom s/he has received a referral for. Clients are referred to the pharmacist for a comprehensive assessment and management of drug related issues. Interactions with clients are achieved through clinic visits, home visits and phone visits. Please note that access to a vehicle/transportation for home visits may be required during rotation.

This rotation provides the pharmacy resident with training and experience in the various aspects of geriatric pharmacotherapy and chronic disease management. This may include, but is not limited to, management of polypharmacy, Parkinson’s disease, pain, behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia and other chronic diseases. The majority of the rotation time is spent on direct patient care activities, which includes comprehensively assessing a client and identifying his/her medication issues, implementing, monitoring, adjusting, and educating of a client’s medication plan, full SOAP note documentation of all client interactions, liaising with appropriate team members in regards to care plan and participating in interdisciplinary rounds as appropriate. The remainder of the time is comprised of working on assigned projects and/or presentations and participating in scheduled therapeutic discussions. The resident is provided with informal feedback on a daily basis and is formally evaluated at the rotation midpoint and at the end of rotation.