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Palliative Medicine

Our palliative medicine clinicians, researchers, and educators are committed to providing comprehensive and compassionate care for our patients and their care givers.

We collaborate with palliative medicine specialists across Michigan Medicine, creating a united, multidisciplinary team of experts. This allows us to provide thorough care for patients, train new palliative medicine specialists to meet the need for increased research and how to best reduce the burden of chronic illness and deliver high-quality palliative care.

Education

We offer several fellowship and training programs including our Hospice and Palliative Medicine (Adult) Fellowship Program, Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship - Pediatric Track, and an Integrated Geriatric-Hospice and Palliative Medicine (Geri-HPM) Fellowship. In addition, our palliative care specialists educate and train medical students and residents to increase their knowledge and skills in providing multidisciplinary, individualized care for patients and their caregivers.

Discover all of our education opportunities

Research

Our division has a proven and extensive track record of successfully obtaining federal, industry, and foundation funding to support our cutting-edge research. Division faculty, together with the Adult Palliative Care Research Program, Geriatrics Center, and the Ann Arbor VA Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC), focus on a wide range of research interests and study the varied and complex aspects of treating serious illness.

Explore our research

Patient Care

Palliative care can be provided throughout the continuum of a serious illness to address the physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs of patients and their families and loved ones. In addition to the numerous palliative care services we provide for adult patients with advanced illness, Michigan Medicine also offers a Pediatric Palliative Care Program. Palliative care is appropriate at any age and any stage of illness and can be provided along with other disease-specific treatments.

Learn more about our patient care

Geriatric Medicine

Learn about our division's work in geriatric medicine research, training and patient care.

Faculty

See a list of the diverse faculty who guide our clinical, research and educational programs on the path to excellence.

Giving

Your gift can help support patient care-related activities and numerous research areas.

A Geriatric Medicine physician works with a patient

Geriatrics Center & Community Programs

Dedicated to providing outstanding educational opportunities, advancing research on the health care issues of older adults and providing exemplary multidisciplinary care and services for the older population.

Learn More About Our Center

Geriatric & Palliative Medicine Internal Website

Resources and information for current Geriatric & Palliative Medicine faculty, staff and learners.

Geriatric & Palliative Medicine Intranet

Join Our Team

The Division of Geriatric & Palliative Medicine is home to cutting-edge clinical care, research and innovative programs which are recognized nationally.

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Featured News & Stories

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Minding Memory

The Impact of Social Isolation and Loneliness on Cognitive Health

In this episode we're going to discuss a topic that's increasingly recognized as central to cognitive health and social connection. We'll define what it is and what happens when it's missing. Social isolation and loneliness are now widely discussed as public health concerns, and evidence has really mounted that social disconnection has profound effects on health, including cognitive decline and dementia risk. To help us think through this, we're joined by Dr. Ashwin Kotwal, a geriatrician and health services researcher at UCSF and the director of the Social Connections and Aging Lab. His work examines how social relationships shape aging related outcomes, including cognitive health, disability, and mortality.

Health care provider loads syringe with measles vaccine

Health Lab

Measles: 10 things to know about immunization and prevention

With measles outbreaks on the rise, here are 10 things to know about immunization and prevention.

health care worker walking with older patient down hall

Health Lab

How can nursing homes protect more patients from infections?

Nursing home infection prevention and control is the subject of a new national guideline that includes MDRO “superbug” precautions, PPE, antibiotic stewardship and more.

younger adult with older adult sitting heads touching compassionately

Health Lab

Americans are unprepared for the expensive and complex process of aging

A Michigan Medicine geriatrician explains how Americans can prepare to age well.

A family discussing end of life wishes during Thanksgiving

Health Lab

How to discuss health care and end-of-life wishes during the holidays

The holidays are a great time to discuss end-of-life decisions. Learn the importance of having a health care power of attorney & discussing it with your family.

Health Lab

Palliative care and hospice poll reveal major gaps

Hospice and palliative care knowledge among older adults varies greatly, but once they hear a definition, most are interested in receiving such care if they qualified.