Geriatrics is a medical science that deals with physical, mental, functional and social conditions in the elderly patient and includes the treatment of acute and chronic conditions, rehabilitation, prevention and care in the last phase of life. Geriatric patients are very fragile and have a complex disease picture, which requires a comprehensive scientific approach.

Geriatrics is not defined by age, but deals with morbidity as is typical for older patients. Most patients are over 65 years, but the challenges that are best handled by the specialist area of geriatrics, occurs most often in the age group over 80 years.

Geriatrics as a research field is relatively new in Norway. The research group in Trondheim has its basis in a systematic evaluation of patients admitted in the department of geriatrics at St. Olav's Hospital from 1994.

The research group in Geriatrics is oriented toward the central problems in geriatrics. We have chosen to prioritize three main areas for our research:

1. Physical functioning, with emphasis on walking, balance, motor control and fall tendency and consequences of the fall

2. Cognitive decline, both mild cognitive decline and dementia

3. Development of processing chains for the frail older persons

Research Group for geriatrics is committed to implementing first-class research in collaboration with national and international partners. It's developed a close cooperation with primary health care in the city of Trondheim in terms of professional development and research.

Research group members:

Olav Sletvold, professor dr. med.
Ingvild Saltvedt, ass. professor dr. med.
Jorunn Lægdheim Helbostad, senior researcher, physioterapist, dr. philos.
Pernille Thingstad,project assistant, physioterapist, M.Sc.
Kristin Taraldsen, project assistant, physioterapist, M.Sc.
Guro Stene, PhD student, physioterapist, M.Sc.
Randi Granbo, lektor, physioterapist, cand. polit.
Marianne Mesteig, occupational terapist, M.Sc.
Anders Prestmo, doctor, M.D.
Elin Einarsen, nurse, master student
Ann-Kristin Lyngvær, nurse, master student
Espen Alexander Fürst Ihlen, M.Sc., PhD student
Gro Bertheussen, M.D., PhD student

Student researcher:
Kristoffer Andresen
Berit Solhaug Rein
Ingvild Stige
Elisabeth Romundstad

Assosierte medlemmer:
Rolf Moe-Nilssen, professor, dr. philos, Universitetet i Bergen
Beatrix Vereijken, professor, PhD, Hman movement science programm, NTNU
Sarah Lamb, professor, PhD, Oxford University and Warwick University, UK
Stephen Lord, professor, PhD, Prince of Wales Medical Research Institute, Sydney, Australia , physioterapist, cand. san.