The Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics of   FAT and PRS was established on 29.08.2014 by order of the Acting Rector . The head of the department was appointed Doctor of Medical Sciences K.M. Aliyeva-Kharkharova.

The clinical base of the department is the Republican Medical Center (RMC) with its main divisions – the Republican Hospital for War Veterans , the Republican Geriatric Center, Hospital No. 1.

Address of the RMC: 367010, Republic of Dagestan, Makhachkala, M. Gadzhieva str., 31. Tel. office 8-8722-68-31-66. E-mail:

geriatriadgma@gmail.com

ALIEVA – KHARKHAROVA KAMILA MAGOMEDOVNA -Head of the Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics of the FAT and PRS DSMU.

She is Doctor of Medical Sciences, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Academician of the International Academy of Sciences, Honored Doctor of the Republic of Dagestan. A therapist of the highest qualification category, has certificates of a geriatrician, therapist, health care organizer.

She is the main freelance geriatrician of the Ministry of Health of  Dagestan and the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation in the North Caucasus Federal District. She was awarded a Certificate of Honor by the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation. She has been working at  DSMU since 1992 after studying in postgraduate studies with academician A.G. Chuchalin. For more than 20 years, her scientific, pedagogical and medical work has been associated with the Republican Veterans Hospital, where she also worked as a deputy chief physician, and modern technologies of examination and treatment of patients with obstructive respiratory diseases were introduced into the work.

She is a mentor to young people. Author of 170 scientific and educational works, 2 monographs, inventions. Research interests – therapy, pulmonology, geriatrics, clinical pharmacology, phytotherapy. Under her leadership, the completion of 2 PhD theses is being completed and two dissertation studies on geriatrics are planned.

Currently, Candidate of Medical Sciences Devrishbekova Zaira Muratovna, assistant Magomedova Aishat Aripovna, assistant Dalgatova Bakhu Magomedgadzhiyavovna work at the department as assistants. For several years, the assistants of the departments were employees of  RMC and  DSMA, Ph.D. Ibragimova M.I., Ph.D. Shuaipova P.K., head of the department of the Academy for the Development of Innovative Technologies Ismailov H.M.

 DEVRISHBEKOVA ZAIRA MURADOVNA – assistant of the department, Candidate of medical Sciences cardiologist of the highest category. After graduating from the Medical Faculty of the State Medical Academy, she studied in residency and postgraduate studies at the Department of Internal Diseases No. 4 of Rostov Medical University in the specialty “therapy”. She graduated from graduate school ahead of schedule with a PhD thesis on “Features of microcirculation and angiogenesis in patients with acute myocardial infarction after thrombolytic therapy”.

For 14 years she worked in the infarction department of  Emergency Medical Hospital in Taganrog.  She has certificates of a cardiologist, a doctor of ultrasound and functional diagnostics. Zaira Muradovna  has the skills of EchoCG, ultrasound of the abdominal cavity, kidneys, thyroid gland. She regularly improves his professional level by participating in Russian congresses and seminars on cardiology. She is author of 16 publications, 3 of which were published in the journals of the Higher Attestation Commission. Zaira Muradovna  awarded a diploma of the III degree for participation in the competition of young scientists in the framework of   “ZAVAD readings” at RostSMU in 2008  and a diploma of the participant of the XV Congress of Cardiologists of the South of Russia in 2016.

MAGOMEDOVA AISHAT ARIPOVNA – assistant of the department, neurologist of the highest qualification category.

She graduated from DSMA in 1996. She completed an internship in neurology in 1996-1997  and  has been working in the neurological department of the RMC Veterans Hospital, as a consultant physician at Hospital No. 1 since 1998.

She worked as an assistant at the Department of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Medical Genetics from 2002 to 2017. She has been working at the Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics of the FAT and PRS since 2018. Aishat Aripovna  has certificates of neuropathologist, reflexologist, ultrasound diagnostics doctor. She underwent thematic improvement in gerontology and geriatrics. She is author of 21 scientific publications, including a textbook. Area of interest – neurology, gerontology, reflexology, radiation diagnostics.

DALGATOVA BAKHU MAGOMEDGADZHIYAVOVNA – assistant.

She graduated from  DSMA in 2012. She was trained in the clinical internship of the DSMA in the specialty “Surgery”. She was hired as a senior laboratory assistant at the Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics in 2014.  Bakhu Magomedgadzhiyavovna  has been  an assistant at the Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics of  FAT and PRS  since 2016. She was trained in the cycle of general improvement in the specialty “Gerontology and geriatrics” of  DSMU. She has certificates of a surgeon, a doctor of ultrasound diagnostics and has the skills of ultrasound of the abdominal cavity, kidneys, thyroid gland. She is the author of 7 scientific publications. The head of the student scientific circle at the department, coordinator of the student volunteer movement.

Educational and pedagogical work

The Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics of  FAT and PRS conducts cycles of professional retraining of specialists in the specialties “Geriatrics” (576 hours), general improvement (144 hours), thematic improvement (72 hours), advanced training (18 and 36 hours) in the Continuing medical education system.

Improvement cycles are conducted for doctors of therapeutic specialties and specialists of non-therapeutic profile engaged in the treatment of elderly and senile people. In total, 56 doctors underwent professional retraining in the specialty “geriatrics” at the department. Over 120 people have completed general and thematic improvement courses in gerontology and geriatrics.

The specialty program has included the study of gerontology and geriatrics in the sixth year of the Faculty of Medicine since September 2016. The total capacity of the cycle is 72hours. During the training, students receive the necessary theoretical knowledge in general and fundamental gerontology, skills and competencies in the field of various sections of geriatrics and related disciplines.

The theoretical part of the training in the form of lectures and practical classes provides for multidisciplinarity as the leading concept of geriatrics. The program includes issues of fundamental gerontology, medical and social aspects of providing assistance to older people.

The issues of prevention of premature aging, development of senile asthenia syndrome, improvement of quality of life, features of drug therapy of the elderly are studied. The department strives to introduce modern forms of education and methods of assessing the knowledge of students and doctors. The content and topics of lectures are constantly updated in accordance with the current results of scientific research and current problems of gerontology and geriatrics.

Lectures are delivered using multimedia technology. Modern informational films, webinars, etc. are widely used the possibilities of professional information resources. One of the forms of self-study is participation in online video conferences on the most relevant geriatric aspects of internal medicine. A very important point in the training is the discussion of clinical recommendations on major socially significant diseases, in the light of the characteristics of the elderly.

The geriatrics teaching program is carried out within the framework of integration with such clinical disciplines as neurology, psychiatry, urology, endocrinology, etc. An important place in the training of a geriatrician is given to ethical aspects, issues of deontology, systematic work of a doctor on himself, the ability to find contact and find the key to the heart of every elderly patient. This undoubtedly has a positive effect on the results of treatment. The attention of cadets and students is drawn to the role of the family, the preservation of social ties in maintaining active longevity and preventing dementia.

There is a student scientific circle. Students and cadets are involved in scientific research conducted at the department under the guidance of teachers. The range of issues discussed at the meetings is very wide. Among the topics discussed are issues of theoretical and clinical gerontology, age-associated pathology. Every year our students participate in conferences of young scientists, undergraduates and postgraduates with scientific publications and presentations. So, in 2018, 6th-year students Atayeva M. and Aliyeva B. were awarded diplomas of the participant of the Republican Conference of graduate students, students and young scientists. A total of 17 scientific articles have been published by the students of the circle.

Medical work

Since its inception, the Geriatrics course, now the department, has been providing systematic assistance to practical healthcare. Planned medical work is systematically carried out at the clinical base of the department – divisions of the RMC.

The head of the department conducts morning medical conferences, regular rounds, daily consultations of unclear and severe patients, consultations, clinical examination of patients.

Educational activities at the department are carried out in close relationship with practical work at the Veterans Hospital and Hospital No. 1. Special attention at the department is paid to teaching “at the bedside”, which is a fundamental factor in the formation of clinical thinking of students and young doctors. Students, participating in medical work, have an idea of all complex and diagnostically unclear patients. This allows them to significantly expand their knowledge in the field of related specialties. Screening for senile asthenia and a comprehensive geriatric assessment of hospital patients are carried out. Outpatient admission of the elderly population in  RSC is carried out by the head of the department 2 times a month. The department organizes scientific and practical conferences on topical issues of geriatrics, seminars and meetings. According to the plan of the Ministry of Health of   RD, visiting scientific and practical conferences on topical issues of geriatrics were held in cities and districts and are planned for 2019. Together with practitioners of various specialties, the department carried out advisory visits to the Untsukul and Gergebil districts.

Educational work

Much attention is paid at the department to the educational work of students. Attention is constantly drawn to the issues of deontology, ethics, appearance and behavior of students. Educational work is focused on the formation of a humane attitude of young people to geriatric patients. Meetings are held with centenarians, veterans of the Great Patriotic War.

This year, members of the Student Scientific Society of the department conducted a comprehensive geriatric assessment of university veterans. A field lesson with students and cadets in the Republican Boarding House for the elderly and disabled “Veteran” conducts at the department . Students get acquainted with the living conditions, leisure and everyday life of the wards of the boarding house, communicate with residents, provide them with charitable assistance to residents.

Scientific work

The main scientific direction of the department: “Prevention of senile asthenia and premature aging in the elderly and senile age with major non-communicable chronic diseases”. The main scientific issues studied at the Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics are:    

* Study of the prevalence of senile asthenia in older people, including COPD and coronary heart disease.

* Longevity in RD. The Centennial Dagestani project.

* Optimization of pharmacotherapy of elderly and senile patients.

* Protein-energy deficiency and nutritional status among the elderly population of  RD.

* Issues of quality of life in chronic non-communicable diseases in the elderly in RD.

* Identification of factors contributing to accelerated aging among the Dagestan population. 

 *Medical and social assistance to patients of older age groups.

Over the past 4 years, the department has published 1 monograph, 3 textbooks, including 2 with the stamp of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation, 40 scientific articles have been published; 15 reports have been presented at conferences and symposiums of international, All-Russian, interregional, republican levels. Scientific developments of the department have been implemented in medical institutions of Makhachkala and RD.  The Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics has established working relations with the NCC of Gerontology and Geriatrics, the Institute of Advanced Training of the Federal Medical and Biological Agency, the Department of Geriatrics and Age-related Endocrinology of Samara Medical University, Vitebsk Medical University. The staff of the department regularly take part in the work of international, All-Union and regional forums, congresses and conferences on geriatrics, therapy and other relevant areas of internal medicine. Currently, an epidemiological study is being conducted on the prevalence of geriatric syndromes and age-associated diseases “EUCALYPTUS” in people over 65 years of age in Makhachkala as part of the state task of the Ministry of Health of Russia.

 The Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics jointly with the RMC held the Republican Scientific and Practical Conference “Actual problems of modern Geriatrics” dedicated to the 70th anniversary of the Great Victory. For several years, the Department, together with the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Dagestan, has been annually holding seminars and meetings dedicated to improving medical and social care for older people. Together with the Ministry of Health of the RD, a Geriatrics School was held. The department held a scientific and practical conference “Topical issues of prevention and treatment in geriatrics” with the publication of a collection of scientific articles in March 2017.     

For the Day of the Elderly, celebrated on October 1, the department organized and held the 2nd republican scientific and practical conference “Topical issues of prevention and treatment in geriatrics” in 2018.  The conference is also attended by members of the Dagestan Branch of the Gerontological Society at the Russian Academy of Sciences. Head of the Department K.M. Aliyeva-Kharkharova is the scientific director of the Dagestan Branch of the Gerontological Society  at the Russian Academy of Sciences. The department held a section on geriatrics “Development of preventive strategies in geriatrics”, within the framework of the Republican scientific and practical conference “Modern Medicine: new approaches and modern research”, in which all employees of the department took part with reports.     

The main tasks of the Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics are to improve the educational process, improve the training of medical personnel, research in the field of clinical gerontology and geriatrics, longevity, regional features of the prevalence of senile asthenia and geriatric syndromes in RD. An important component of the department’s work is interaction with the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Dagestan in the implementation of the federal project “The Older Generation of the National Project “Demography”. The head of the department, K.M.Aliyeva-Kharkharova, is a member of the profile commission of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation on geriatrics, the main freelance specialist – geriatrician of the Ministry of Health of the RD and the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation for the North Caucasus Federal District. The regional passport “Development and implementation of the program of systematic support and improvement of the quality of life of citizens of the older generation “The older generation”” of the Republic of Dagestan has been prepared.