Saddleback Medical Center Elevates Emergency Care for Seniors

LAGUNA HILLS, CA – May 01, 2026 – As the number of senior citizens in South Orange County continues to climb, MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center is reinforcing its commitment to specialized elder care, earning a prestigious reaccreditation for its Geriatric Emergency Department.

A New Standard for an Aging America

MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center has secured its third consecutive Level 3 Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation (GEDA) from the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP). This distinction, held by the hospital since 2019, places it among fewer than 400 emergency departments nationwide recognized for providing a higher standard of care tailored to the unique needs of older adults.

The GEDA program was established to address a critical gap in healthcare as the U.S. population ages, with more than 11,000 Americans turning 65 each day. It provides a framework for emergency departments to improve and standardize their approach to geriatric patients, who often present with complex medical histories, multiple chronic conditions, and increased vulnerability to hospital-acquired complications.

Accreditation is awarded in three tiers. Level 3, the "Bronze Standard" achieved by Saddleback, requires an emergency department to implement multiple geriatric-specific initiatives, have dedicated physician and nurse champions with specialized training, and utilize equipment and supplies appropriate for older adults. Higher tiers, Level 2 (Silver) and Level 1 (Gold), demand an even more integrated and comprehensive system of care, with Level 1 representing the pinnacle of geriatric emergency medicine. By maintaining its Level 3 status, Saddleback demonstrates a sustained and verified commitment to these essential best practices.

A Local Response to a Growing Need

The reaccreditation is particularly significant for Orange County, where demographic trends highlight a pressing need for such specialized services. According to recent data, adults aged 65 and over constitute nearly 16% of the county's population—a figure projected to surge to almost 25% by 2040. This "silver tsunami" places increasing demands on the local healthcare infrastructure.

"This reaccreditation reflects our continued commitment to providing compassionate, safe and age‑sensitive emergency care," said Brandi Cassingham, RN, chief nursing officer, MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center, in a statement. "As the needs of our older adult population continue to grow, it is more important than ever that our emergency and clinical care teams are equipped to deliver care that is thoughtful, specialized and responsive."

Saddleback's role as a GEDA-accredited facility provides a crucial resource for the community. While several other hospitals in the region, including UCI Health (Level 1) and Kaiser Permanente's Anaheim and Irvine centers (Level 2), also hold GEDA status, the overall number of accredited facilities remains low. Saddleback's continued participation highlights a regional effort to elevate care standards for this vulnerable patient group.

Inside the Geriatric-Friendly ED: Protocols Over Pills

Achieving GEDA reaccreditation is not a matter of paperwork; it requires a fundamental shift in how emergency care is delivered to older patients. The process involves a rigorous review of the hospital's protocols, staff education, and patient outcomes.

At Saddleback, this translates into specific, evidence-based practices designed to protect the health and dignity of seniors. Key initiatives documented for the accreditation include:
* Delirium Prevention: Proactively managing pain, encouraging mobility, and ensuring proper hydration and nutrition to prevent the sudden onset of confusion, which is common in hospitalized seniors.
* Minimizing High-Risk Interventions: Reducing the use of urinary catheters to prevent infections, minimizing physical restraints to preserve dignity and mobility, and avoiding unnecessary "nothing by mouth" (NPO) orders that can lead to dehydration.
* Enhanced Comfort and Safety: Providing easy access to mobility aids like walkers and canes, ensuring rooms have appropriate lighting, and implementing protocols that promote rest.

These focused interventions are proven to have a significant impact. National research has shown that patients treated in accredited Geriatric EDs experience better outcomes, including a lower likelihood of hospital admission from the emergency room, reduced risk of 30-day mortality, and shorter inpatient stays if admission becomes necessary.

"Providing dignity‑centered care that is tailored to the unique needs of older adults is central to our mission," Cassingham added.

A System-Wide Commitment to Aging Well

Saddleback's GEDA status is a cornerstone of a much broader, system-wide strategy at MemorialCare to create an "Age-Friendly Health System." This initiative, guided by The John A. Hartford Foundation and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), is built upon a framework known as the "4Ms":
* What Matters: Aligning care with each older adult’s specific health outcome goals and care preferences.
* Medication: Ensuring that medications do not interfere with patient goals or physical and mental function.
* Mentation: Preventing, identifying, and treating dementia, depression, and delirium.
* Mobility: Ensuring that older adults move safely every day to maintain function.

This holistic approach extends beyond the emergency room doors. MemorialCare also operates specialized senior clinics and the Hospital Elder Life Program (HELP), a volunteer-based initiative focused on preventing cognitive and functional decline during a hospital stay. By embedding age-friendly principles across the continuum of care—from the ED to inpatient units and outpatient clinics—the health system aims to provide more reliable, coordinated, and patient-centered care for its senior community.

As ACEP's accreditation team noted in its recognition, the efforts at Saddleback's emergency department reflect a strong systemwide commitment. With guidance from the GEDA Board of Governors, the hospital will continue to refine its services over the next three years, preparing for its next reaccreditation cycle and further solidifying its role as a leader in geriatric care for South Orange County.