Carla Perissinotto: Keeping Seniors Healthy at Home

Carla Perissinotto, MD, MHS, is a geriatrician who helps people live longer, more comfortable, more fulfilling lives. She works with elderly patients through UCSF Care at Home, which provides medical care to home-bound older adults. She visits patients in their home so she can assess their environment and determine the best care plan to keep them safe and living independently.

Carla is one of two geriatricians who attends on the General Medicine Inpatient Service at UCSF. She teaches medical students and residents about the risks of hospitalization for older adults. “Without the voice of a geriatrician on the inpatient service, we may often overlook aspects of older adults lives that greatly affect their hospital course of treatment, such as their functional abilities, their cognitive status and their health care wishes,” says Carla.

“My favorite part of my job is when I ask older adults the questions that most doctors don’t ask, such as, 'How are you getting along at home? Do you need help with what you’re doing? What are your goals in your life?'" says Carla. "They tell me, 'No one has ever asked me these questions before.' This is what I love about my job and what’s important to me." 

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