The Geriatric Cart, or Geri-Cart, was created as part of the Senior Surgical Care Program (SSCP) on 3 Med/Surg at Kaiser Permanente San Jose. The SSCP is a care initiative by Kaiser Permanente Northern California designed to improve the quality outcomes for patients aged 75 and older who are considering surgery.
One of the program’s primary goals is to reduce post-surgical cognitive and functional decline. The Geri-Cart was developed to store items that can assist with mental exercises, re-orientation, and delirium prevention while patients are hospitalized. Initially intended for SSCP patients, the Geri-Cart has proven beneficial to the broader older adult population on 3 Med/Surg, including those hospitalized for reasons other than surgery. Nurses on the 3rd floor now utilize the items in the Geri-Cart when they believe it will add value to the care of their older adult patients.