Collaborative Care in Geriatrics: Advancing Toward an Age-friendly Healthcare System

Geriatrics as a specialty in India had a late beginning in the ever-evolving field of medicine. Despite those odds, Geriatrics has made its way in leaps and bounds and continues to gain momentum, as we converse. With changing demographics, increasing multimorbidity, and the unique needs of older adults, the relevance of this discipline is now being recognized at all levels – from primary to tertiary care.[1,2] Geriatrics approaches older adults with compassion, empathy, and dignity, while embracing the complexity of aging. A defining feature of this field is its collaborative ethos – working with other specialties and allied health services to provide holistic, person-centered care. In this context, the theme of GERICON-2025, “Collaborative Care in Geriatrics – Advancing Toward an Age-Friendly Health Care System,” is particularly relevant and appropriate. Collaboration in geriatrics extends beyond medical professionals to include allied health services, caregivers, assisted-living facilities, home-care agencies, technology developers, corporate hospitals, old-age homes, long-term and palliative care facilities.[3] Equally important is engaging schoolchildren and undergraduate medical students to build early awareness and sensitivity toward the needs of older adults. The 22nd Annual Conference of the Indian Academy of Geriatrics (GERICON-2025), hosted at the Armed Forces Medical College, Pune, stands as a testament to the evolution of geriatric medicine in India. It brings together clinicians, researchers, and thought leaders dedicated to advancing evidence-based, compassionate, and person-centered care for the aging population. The abstracts of the conference, featured in this special issue, reflect the diversity and depth of contemporary geriatric research across India. They emphasize a unifying message – that healthy aging is not merely about longevity, but about maintaining function, dignity, and meaning in later life. Workshops at GERICON-2025 focus on core aspects of geriatric care, including functionality, mobility, medication management, mental health, discharge planning, transitional care, caregiver training, assistive technologies, home-care models, and advanced care planning. The technology exhibition, “GERITECH,” highlights the rapidly expanding role of technology and artificial intelligence in promoting independence, monitoring health, and integrating older adults into the healthcare ecosystem. Gerontology and aging research in India are also gaining momentum.[4] Several studies on aging and validation of tools in the Indian context were part of the conference, including the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India-diagnostic assessment of dementia and the development of a frailty assessment tool tailored for Indian populations. This issue also includes work on the EASYcare tool for early identification of geriatric syndromes and marks a step forward in systematic screening and preventive care.[5] Metabolic and endocrine disorders, preventive geriatrics, and medication management have emerged as key research areas in India. Importantly, contributions from both urban and rural India demonstrate innovative community-based interventions aimed at integrating care for older adults – strengthening the movement toward an age-friendly health system. In this issue, clinical medicine is well represented, with myriad abstracts of case reports and case series presented by undergraduates, postgraduates, allied health professionals, and faculty. The issue also revisits the geriatric giants – falls, frailty, sarcopenia, insomnia, malnutrition, incontinence, and delirium – alongside caregiver burden, mental health, and “what matters most” to older adults. These domains form the ethical and emotional core of geriatric practice, reminding us that patient-centered care must align with personal values, family contexts, and cultural identities. As India transitions from a young nation to an ageing one, the contributions in this issue signify a decisive step toward an age-friendly healthcare system–rooted in interdisciplinary collaboration, preventive strategies, and respect for the lived experience of aging. This issue is, therefore, not merely a collection of articles and abstracts presented in the conference. It is a chronicle of commitment, curiosity, and compassion for older adults, and a stride forward in advancing geriatric care in India.