The staff at Gerontology at Fran U believes that quality care for older adults is an opportunity to shape a better, more compassionate health system. That’s why we continue to emphasize the importance of Age-Friendly Health Systems (AFHS) and the 4Ms framework: What Matters, Medication, Mentation and Mobility. These principles are the foundation for care that respects the dignity, preferences and unique needs of older adults.
A recent study, Outcomes of Age-Friendly Health Systems: Return to Clinic After 4Ms Care Delivery in INQUIRY: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing (Volume 62, 2025), offers compelling evidence supporting the impact of the 4Ms in real-world care settings. Through a retrospective review of medical records from a national network of convenient care clinics with AFHS designation, researchers found a clear correlation: patients who received care aligned with all four components of the 4Ms reported the highest levels of satisfaction, trust in their providers and likelihood of returning for future visits.
Today, over 4,800 health systems and long-term care facilities across the country have earned the Age-Friendly designation (johnahartford.org, 2025), and the movement continues to grow. We’re seeing health systems establish specialized clinics focused solely on caring for older adults—spaces designed with accessibility in mind, staffed by professionals trained in age-friendly communication and committed to patient-centered care. From larger text materials and on-site educational sessions to thoughtful touches like beverages and comfortable seating for care partners, these environments embody what we strive to teach our students every day.
This study further reinforces what we teach at Fran U: that person-centered, age-appropriate care is essential for health equity and satisfaction in later life. While more research is needed to explore long-term outcomes, these findings give us confidence in the 4Ms model and its ability to transform health care across a variety of settings from long-term care and specialty senior clinics to everyday convenient care facilities.
As future leaders in gerontology, our students are prepared to advocate for and implement the 4Ms across clinical and community settings. At Fran U, we remain committed to preparing the next generation of healthcare professionals who understand that the best care for older adults is thoughtful, consistent and age-friendly.