Duke’s Division of Geriatrics is integrated with the renowned Duke University Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development.

Founded in 1955 as a federally designated research hub, the center remains a vital national resource for the study of aging (gerontology) and medical care of the elderly (geriatrics).

Patient Care

The Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development is associated with nationally recognized Duke Geriatric Evaluation and Treatment (GET) Clinic, the cornerstone of the division’s clinical care program.

Duke’s experienced faculty and staff provides and coordinates a variety of comprehensive, multidisciplinary services to older people and their families. We serve outpatients, as well as patients in acute inpatient and long-term-care environments.

We work closely with patients’ primary care physicians, as well as with a cross-disciplinary Duke team that includes psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and geriatric nurses. Each member of our team has special expertise in geriatric medicine and long-term care.

We frequently work with other specialties within Duke including:

• Cancer Services
• Heart Services
• Internal Medicine
• Neuroscience
• Radiology
• Rheumatology

Our clinicians also provide caring and skilled end-of-life care to Duke HomeCare & Hospice (DHCH) patients. For more than 25 years, DHCH has been dedicated to delivering palliative, emotional, and spiritual care to terminally ill patients and their loved ones.

Education and Research

In addition to providing the most advanced and compassionate elder care available, the Division of Geriatrics houses thriving, internationally recognized research and education programs.

To meet the rapidly growing need for physicians trained to provide the specialized care that many older people require, Duke’s School of Medicine offers one of the nation’s most comprehensive and rigorous academic programs in geriatric medicine.

The Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development coordinates our many cross-disciplinary, multi-institutional research studies and programs.

Working closely with the GET Clinic, the Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center of the Durham VA Medical Center, and the Duke Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center (one of a network of National Institutes of Health-funded research programs), our faculty investigates a broad spectrum of health and wellness issues common among the aged.

Our research into these issues -- including long-tem care and preventive medicine initiatives designed to help elders preserve their health and independence -- has influenced and advanced geriatrics care worldwide.

To schedule an outpatient appointment, call 919-620-4070 locally. Physicians who wish to make a referral should call 888-ASK-DUKE (888-275-3853) toll-free.