Bengaluru’s St John’s Medical College Hospital opens geriatric centre

“The facility will offer daycare, short-term care, transitional care, intermediate care, long-term care, and palliative/hospice care. Patients will have access to common wards, semi-private, and private rooms, similar to St John’s Medical College Hospital. The institution also plans to establish a telemedicine facility to extend geriatric care to remote areas,” the hospital said in a statement.

St John’s stated that the seven-story standalone centre was built on land allocated by the institution and funded through donations. It aims to provide a holistic approach to elder care, focusing on medical treatment, caregiver education, and policy-oriented research.

According to St John’s hospital, India’s elderly population is projected to reach 20 per cent of the total population by 2050, making specialised geriatric care a pressing need. Since 2003-04, the hospital has focused on elderly healthcare in urban and rural Bengaluru through its Senior Citizen Health Service, community clinics, old-age home support, home healthcare, and caregiver training.

Additionally, the centre will introduce training programmes for medical professionals, home nursing aides, and caregivers. Community engagement programmes focusing on physical activity, mental well-being, and eldercare awareness will also be conducted. Research on aging and geriatrics will be a key focus, with the hospital stating that findings from the centre could contribute to shaping elderly care policies in India.

St John’s clarified that the centre is a healthcare facility and not an old-age home, emphasizing that it is intended for temporary medical care rather than permanent stay.

The hospital stated that the full-scale operational launch of the centre is expected to take place once the infrastructure and resources are fully in place.