Geriatrics in Estonia Helgi Kolk MD Dr Med

Geriatrics in Estonia Helgi Kolk, MD, Dr Med Sci University of Tartu/ Estonian Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics 2007

The Republic of Estonia • • Total area- 45 000 sq km Population- 1 344 000 (2006) 15, 9 % over 65 years (2004) Life expectancy at birth (2003) Estonia EU Males 66. 0 75. 1 Females 76. 9 81. 2

Medical Education Medical Faculty at University of Tartu 26 departments (9 preclinical, 17 clinical) 6 yrs. undergraduate+ 3 -5 yrs. specialization No dept. of Geriatrics Number of physicians 4300 (2004) 31 physicians per 10. 000 inhabitants Number of geriatricians 0

Geriaatria Sotsiaaltöö Nefroloogia Dermatol. Endokrinoloogia Kardioloogia Reumatoloogia Stomatoloogia Onkoloogia LOR Rehabilitatsioon Oftalmoloogia Psühhiaatria Kirurgia Geriaatriline hindamine Palliatiivne ravi Sisehaigused Perearst Neuroloogia

Estonian Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics • Established 1997 • 170 members (2006) Interdisciplinary (physicians, nurses, social and care workers, managers of care institutions, teaching staff) representatives of organizations of pensioners, volunteers.

Activity areas of EGGA • Training professionals incl. curriculum development • Development of guidelines, regulations, standards • Research, incl. international projects • Producing of educational materials • Providing information on ageing and the care of older people in words understandable by the lay public

Studies, research • Study on coping and health of the Estonian Elderly residents, 2000 Saks K, Kolk H et al. Health status of the older population in Estonia. Croatian Medical Journal 2001; 42(6): 663 -668. Saks K, Kolk H et al. Prevalence of cardiovascular disorders among older population in primary care in Estonia. Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care 2003; 21(2): 106 -109. • Tartu Senior Study, 2002

International projects • CARMA- Care of the Aged at the Risk of Marginalization (2003 -2005) • Tallinn- Helsinki Senior Study, 2004 • Care Keys- EU Quality of Life Programs (2003 -2005) • Nutri-Senex- Improving the quality of life of elderly people by co-ordinating research into malnutrition of the elderly (2004 -2006)

Estonian Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics … is member of • International Association of Gerontology (IAG) • European Union Geriatric Medicine Society (EUGMS)

Geriatric education developing 50 Geriatricians needed by 2015. To achieve the aim: - establish a critical mass of medical educators in geriatrics (dept. at Medical faculty) - postgraduate specialization in geriatrics - start training courses

Development of geriatric education in 2007 • The Structural Funds of the EU- European Social Fund (ESF), Estonian Ministry of Social Affairs and Medical Faculty of Tartu University support training program in geriatrics for 24 doctors from Estonian hospitals • Innove

Nordic cooperation- meeting in Tallinn, May 2006