S1 Ep4: The Rural Geriatrician

Mark Yates is a geriatrician in Ballarat, Victoria and Associate Professor at Deakin University. He is Clinical Lead for Safer Care Victoria’s Age Friendly Health Services 4Ms Program, lead geriatrician in the Grampians Region Cognitive Dementia and Memory Service CDAMS and is involved in many research projects.

Mark takes us into the intriguing world of geriatrics, a field dedicated to addressing the complex needs of older adults with multiple health conditions. Mark emphasises the critical nature of timely diagnosis in geriatrics, particularly when cognitive changes begin to interfere with daily life. In his practice, he approaches the question of whether someone has dementia with a selective focus, addressing it only when specifically asked. He investigates through the lens of the "four Ds"—Delirium, Depression, Drugs, or Dementia—carefully evaluating each factor to determine the root cause of cognitive issues.

He also contrasts the challenges of driving risk in rural versus urban settings, balancing the potential for increased social isolation in remote areas against inherent driving risks of early dementia. Additionally, Mark underscores the pivotal roles of general practitioners, practice nurses, and receptionists in primary care in detecting cognitive changes early, given their long-term relationship with patients.

Mark's decade-long collaboration with colleagues to develop a cognitive impairment identifier for hospital settings exemplifies his commitment to improving care. This initiative involved co-designing a tool with patients and families to enhance how hospital staff recognise and respond to cognitive impairment, ultimately aiming to ensure more effective and person-centred care.

"Older people are the canary in the mine of complex health systems because if an older person comes into something as complex as a hospital they tend to use all aspects of that hospital. Their experience in that hospital is only as good as the worst link in a series of a chain of support that they need to get from being an in-patient to successfully returning to the community"

Hosted by Darshini Ayton and Sarah Carmody

Produced by Darshini Ayton

Music by Luke Champion

An initiative of the Centre of Research Excellence in Enhanced Dementia Diagnosis which is funded by the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council.

This podcast was recorded on Wurundjeri Country. We acknowledge the Traditional owners and custodians of the Wurundjeri Land, the Boonwurrung and the Woiwurrung peoples of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present. Lands which Sovereignty was never ceded. Always was, always will be Aboriginal Lands.