Integrative Models of Care for Healthy Aging in the Elderly: A Narrative Review

Background Recent global increases in aging populations have prompted an increased need to provide quality care for older adults, especially older adults who are living with frailty and multiple chronic conditions. A response to this has been implementing innovative and interdisciplinary models of care that focus on the need to enhance older adults’ quality of life and well-being. Several effective multidisciplinary care services have emerged to address the physical, cognitive, and psychosocial needs of older adults that involve integrated approaches. In this review, we discuss the available integrative models of care and evaluate their effectiveness in providing interdisciplinary interventions for supporting healthy aging, especially with a focus on the rural older adult population. Methods We undertook a literature search for models of older adult care reported between January 2000 and April 2023 that yielded 613 publications regarding proactive multidisciplinary care suited to older adults and their applicability to rural settings. Only 33 publications either focused on rural older adults or were applicable to rural older adults. Results The results highlighted the effectiveness of proactive multidisciplinary care services in improving overall well-being and quality of life for older individuals. Coordinated home care provided by a community geriatric unit demonstrated the potential to prevent avoidable hospital admissions and improve outcomes for frail older adults. Furthermore, various interprofessional education approaches showcased the value of collaborative efforts and holistic care in addressing the complex needs of geriatric patients. Conclusions This review highlights the powerful impact of integrated care models on the physical and mental health of the aging population, especially by improving the activities of daily living in frail older adults. The success of person-centered approaches and technology in multidisciplinary collaborations was evident. Further research is needed to evaluate patient-centered interventions and the long-term sustainability of integrated care models. Moreover, this review emphasizes knowledge gaps regarding healthcare access and outcomes for rural older adults, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions and policies to promote equitable access to quality healthcare. The findings provide guidance for future research and policy development to improve healthcare services and enhance the overall quality of life for older adults.