We Improve Senior Health

The WISH program is a collaborative effort among nursing, physicians, pharmacy, rehabilitative therapy, social work, dietary and other disciplines to improve the care Christiana Care delivers to senior patients in all settings.

Patients 65 and older account for:

• 44% of all medical-surgical hospital admissions
• 52% of hospitalized patient days

What is WISH?
WISH is a program derived from a national initiative called NICHE*, developed by New York University, Division of Nursing and the Education Development Center for Health Care Practice funded by the John A. Hartford Foundation, Inc. of New York.

*Nurses Improving Care for Health System Elders

What is the WISH Program?

• Its a new way of thinking and caring for elder patients.
• It focuses on preventing and managing common geriatric illnesses.
• And, ensures that clinicians providing care at the bedside offer the best geriatric practice.

WISH's Key to Success: 
Team Collaboration - 'all disciplines working together' - to better care for the elderly

• Senior Health Resource Team
  • Serves as a unit based resource to address the diverse problems of seniors on the units and in homes (i.e. falls, skin breakdown, delirium, medication safety, incontinence and sleep disorders, etc.)
  • Consists of nursing staff, (advanced practice nurses, nurses, nursing assistants), geriatricians and includes other disciplines such as residents, pharmacists, therapists, nutritionists, educators, researchers, case managers and social workers.
  • All of whom are committed to improving geriatric care. 

For more information about Christiana Care's WISH Program, please call 302-733-4999.

Or, if you or a family member need a geriatric assessment, contact our Geriatric Assessment Program at 302-477-3300.