The population of adults 65 and older is projected to double in the U.S. by 2050, placing increasing pressure on health systems to deliver consistent, high‑quality care for older adults. To meet this growing demand, organizations are turning to innovative techniques and care models that better support clinicians in providing exceptional care and patient satisfaction.
One model that has gained significant traction in recent years is the Age-Friendly Health Systems model, developed by the John A. Hartford Foundation and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, in collaboration with the American Hospital Association and Catholic Health Association of the United States.
Now adopted by more than 5,300 healthcare organizations, this care model provides organizations with a structured framework to consistently deliver high‑quality care for older adults, enabling organizations to standardize best practices, reduce care variability and provide clinicians with tools that support safer and more personalized patient experiences.
The 4Ms of Age-Friendly Care
This care model is centered around the 4Ms: What Matters, Medication, Mentation and Mobility.
What Matters: Aligning care with the older adult’s goals and preferences.
Medication: Ensuring medications are appropriate, necessary and do not interfere with the other Ms.
Mentation: Preventing, identifying, and managing dementia, depression and delirium.
Mobility: Supporting safe movement to maintain function and independence.
“This model is really designed for older people, whose care has become much more complex,” said Raianne Melton, Senior Director Clinical Services for Professional Services at Axxess.
Melton explains that the care model has three goals:
1. Follow an essential set of evidence-based practices
2. Cause no harm
3. Align with what matters to the older adult and their family caregivers
“It’s really about aligning the goals of treatment around what matters most to that individual,” said Melton. “For a hospice patient, it may be to die pain free, or for a physical therapist, it may to help the patient play pickleball again.”
Staying Survey Ready with the 4Ms
Organizations that have adopted the framework report a wide range of benefits, including improved patient outcomes, increased patient and family satisfaction, and more standardized care across service lines. By elevating the focus on patient‑centered care, many organizations have also seen improved quality scores, making the framework an additional strategy for survey preparedness.
“Organizations find that they improve patient outcomes, which generates higher star ratings,” Melton said. “It also helps them decrease falls dramatically, since they’re talking to patients about medication, mentation and mobility. They just have fewer complaints overall.”
For organizations looking to implement the 4M framework, choosing the right technology partner is essential to long-term success. Axxess’ suite of solutions recently received the Age-Friendly Care at Home Verification from CHAP (Community Health Accreditation Partner), reflecting alignment with the care model and demonstrating how Axxess’ solutions support clinical documentation and assessment of the 4Ms.
Leaders seeking designation as an age-friendly care facility can pursue verification through CHAP, which conducts the required survey at no cost to the organization.
“It’s also nice to know that CHAP doesn’t charge organizations,” Melton said. “If they’re there doing a survey and you ask them to also survey for age-friendly care, they won’t charge an additional fee.”
“Most people are already doing it. They’re doing a lot of it,” Melton said. “They just have not formalized it.”
Melton advised organizations interested in implementing the Age‑Friendly Health Systems model to begin by evaluating their current operations and identifying the steps needed to progress toward formal designation. She noted that many organizations already have key elements of the framework in place, they simply haven’t formalized them.
Leaders interested in learning more about age‑friendly care and strategies for implementing the 4Ms care model can do so at the 2026 Axxess Growth, Innovation and Leadership Experience (AGILE) in May. Age‑friendly care content will be featured throughout the hospice, home care, and home health workshops, equipping organizations with practical tools to succeed. To register for AGILE, click here.
Axxess, an ecosystem of cloud‑based enterprise software platforms, enhances operational efficiency and enables care at home organizations to deliver age‑friendly care grounded in the 4Ms framework.
