Iceland

Félag Íslenskra Öldrunarlækna FÍÖ
The Icelandic Geriatrics Society

Some facts on demography and geriatrics in Iceland…

Total population: 330.000 individuals (2016)
Percentage above 65 Yr: 44.000, 13% of population
Percentage above 80 Yr: 13.800,  4,6% of population

Number of physicians: 1250 practising physicians (2016)
Number of geriatricians: 24
Total number of hospital beds: approx. 1000
Number of geriatric beds: approx. 140

Geriatrics is recognised as a...

• speciality since >20 years.
• subspeciality since >20 years

Geriatric medicine is found in...

• acute care hospitals as acute geriatric wards
• out-patient care settings
• post-acute rehabilitation hospitals/clinics
• nursing homes or long term care facilities

Members of the society

Total number of Members: 41
Geriatricians: 26
GP’s: 10
psychiatrists: 5

Other activities…

• Nordic Gerontology congress in Iceland in 2021
  For more information visit : www.25nkg.is
• Nordic Geriatric Congress (NKG) held every other year in one of the Nordic countries (every 10 year in Iceland)
• Official publication – Læknabladid the official journal of the Icelandic Medical Society

List of geriatric chairs and research centres in Iceland

University of Iceland ,Landspitali University Hospital and the Geratric research centre, Icelandic Heart Association (AGES study). There is one professorate of geriatric medicine - palmivj(at)landspitali.is

Examples of current  geriatric research in Iceland are (2016):

• The AGES-Reykjavik: Study conducted by the Icelandic Heart Association and co-funded by the National Institute of Aging (USA). One of the largest and most comprehensive cohort studies on aging in the world. Its main focus are the interactions between age, genes and the environment and how they are reflected in disability in old age or through common age associated diseases such as cardiovascular disease, dementia and osteoporosis.
• Decode Genetics: Some genetic studies particularly related to dementia.
• Research for the development of EEG techniques to improve dementia diagnosis: www.mentiscura.com
• NIDD studies, studies on dementia diagnostics.
• The SENATOR study: European multicenter study for the development of a software to review and recommend best drug treatment or alternative nondrug treatment of elderly individuals with multiple health issues.
• Inter-RAI studies relating to comprehensive geratric assessment and quality of care.
• RHLÖ (The Icelandic geriatric research institute): A colloborative research institute between Landspitali University Hospital and the University of Iceland promoting multidiciplinary aging research currently with 7 PhD students.