Healthy Aging Through Integrative Medicine in Shanghai
The Department of Geriatrics at Longhua Hospital — affiliated with Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine — is one of China's leading centers for the integrative management of age-related conditions and the promotion of healthy aging. Combining the diagnostic and therapeutic tools of modern geriatric medicine with the longevity traditions of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the department offers a uniquely comprehensive approach to the complex, multi-system health challenges of older adults — addressing not only individual diseases but the patient's overall vitality, functional capacity, cognitive health, and quality of life.
For international patients — whether older adults seeking comprehensive geriatric assessment and management, or families seeking expert care for aging parents in Shanghai — Longhua Hospital's geriatrics department offers a model of elder care that integrates the best of modern medicine with China's rich tradition of longevity medicine. China Medical Concierge Shanghai (CMCS) provides seamless end-to-end support for international patients and their families throughout the care journey.
About the Department
Longhua Hospital's geriatrics department is a national key TCM clinical specialty operating dedicated geriatric inpatient wards, a comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) clinic, a memory and cognitive disorders service, a falls prevention and balance clinic, a polypharmacy review service, and a TCM longevity and healthy aging program. The department's multidisciplinary team includes geriatricians, TCM physicians, neurologists, cardiologists, rehabilitation specialists, nutritionists, pharmacists, and social workers — providing truly integrated, person-centered care for older adults.
The department's research program focuses on TCM interventions for healthy aging, sarcopenia prevention, cognitive decline, and the management of geriatric syndromes — with publications in leading geriatrics and integrative medicine journals including Age and Ageing, Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, and Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
Conditions & Geriatric Syndromes Managed
- Multimorbidity — Comprehensive management of multiple co-existing chronic conditions (hypertension, diabetes, heart failure, CKD, COPD) with a focus on treatment prioritization, drug interaction management, and quality of life
- Frailty & Sarcopenia — TCM qi-tonifying and kidney-strengthening herbal therapy combined with resistance exercise and nutritional optimization for muscle mass preservation and frailty reversal
- Cognitive Impairment & Dementia — Mild cognitive impairment (MCI), Alzheimer's disease, and vascular dementia; TCM kidney-tonifying and phlegm-resolving herbal therapy; acupuncture for cognitive and behavioral symptoms
- Falls & Balance Disorders — Comprehensive falls risk assessment; TCM balance-improving interventions including Tai Chi (with the strongest evidence base of any exercise intervention for falls prevention); acupuncture for vestibular and proprioceptive dysfunction
- Osteoporosis & Fragility Fractures — TCM kidney-tonifying herbal formulas for bone density improvement; bisphosphonate and denosumab therapy; fracture liaison service
- Cardiovascular Disease in the Elderly — Heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and hypertension management tailored to the physiological changes of aging; TCM cardiac support
- Chronic Pain in the Elderly — Osteoarthritis, neuropathic pain, and musculoskeletal pain; acupuncture and TCM herbal therapy as opioid-sparing alternatives
- Insomnia & Sleep Disorders — TCM heart-calming herbal therapy and acupuncture for age-related insomnia without the risks of sedative-hypnotic medications
- Depression & Anxiety in the Elderly — TCM liver-soothing and heart-calming herbal therapy; acupuncture as adjunctive therapy for late-life depression
- Urinary Incontinence — TCM kidney-tonifying and bladder-stabilizing herbal therapy; acupuncture for overactive bladder and stress incontinence
- Malnutrition & Appetite Loss — TCM spleen-strengthening and appetite-stimulating herbal therapy; nutritional assessment and supplementation
- Polypharmacy Management — Comprehensive medication review to identify and eliminate inappropriate prescribing in older adults; TCM as a strategy to reduce medication burden
- Post-Hospitalization Recovery — TCM-enhanced rehabilitation after acute illness, surgery, or hospitalization to restore function and prevent deconditioning
- Palliative & End-of-Life Care — TCM symptom management for pain, dyspnea, fatigue, and anxiety in patients with advanced illness; dignity-preserving, holistic end-of-life support
The Integrative Geriatrics Approach
Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA)
Every new patient at Longhua's geriatrics department undergoes a Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment — a structured, multidisciplinary evaluation of the older adult's medical, functional, cognitive, psychological, nutritional, and social status. The CGA identifies problems that are often missed in standard medical consultations, including frailty, cognitive impairment, falls risk, malnutrition, polypharmacy, and social isolation — and forms the basis of an individualized, integrated care plan.
Longhua's CGA uniquely incorporates TCM constitutional assessment alongside standard geriatric assessment tools, identifying the patient's TCM pattern (most commonly kidney deficiency, qi and blood deficiency, or phlegm-stasis) and integrating TCM interventions into the overall care plan.
TCM Longevity Medicine
TCM has a 2,000-year tradition of longevity medicine (养生, yǎng shēng) — the art of cultivating health, vitality, and longevity through lifestyle, diet, herbal medicine, and mind-body practice. Longhua's geriatrics department draws on this tradition to offer evidence-informed longevity programs that complement modern geriatric medicine:
- Kidney-Tonifying Herbal Therapy — In TCM, the kidneys are the root of vitality and the storehouse of essence (精, jīng). Kidney-tonifying herbal formulas — including preparations based on He Shou Wu, Gou Qi Zi (wolfberry), Du Zhong, and compound formulas such as Liu Wei Di Huang Wan — are used to support bone density, cognitive function, sexual vitality, and overall aging resilience
- Qi & Blood Nourishment — Herbal formulas to address the qi and blood deficiency that underlies fatigue, cognitive decline, and immune weakness in older adults
- Anti-Inflammatory Herbal Therapy — TCM herbal compounds with documented anti-inflammatory effects to address the chronic low-grade inflammation (“inflammaging”) that drives many age-related diseases
- Adaptogenic Herbs — Ren Shen (ginseng), Ling Zhi (reishi mushroom), Huang Qi (astragalus), and other adaptogenic herbs with evidence for stress resilience, immune function, and vitality support
Tai Chi & Qigong for Healthy Aging
Tai Chi is one of the most evidence-supported interventions in geriatric medicine, with robust clinical trial data demonstrating significant benefits for falls prevention, balance improvement, bone density, cardiovascular health, cognitive function, and psychological wellbeing in older adults. Longhua's geriatrics department incorporates structured Tai Chi and Qigong programs into its rehabilitation and healthy aging services, with classes adapted for different functional levels including chair-based versions for frail older adults.
Acupuncture in Geriatric Care
Acupuncture offers several particularly valuable applications in geriatric medicine — conditions where conventional pharmacotherapy carries significant risks in older adults:
- Chronic pain management without opioid or NSAID risks
- Insomnia treatment without sedative-hypnotic dependence
- Depression and anxiety management without antidepressant side effects
- Urinary incontinence management without anticholinergic cognitive risks
- Post-stroke rehabilitation and functional recovery
Why International Patients Choose Longhua Geriatrics
- Truly Integrative Geriatric Care — Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment combined with TCM constitutional assessment for a uniquely holistic evaluation
- TCM Longevity Tradition — 2,000 years of longevity medicine translated into evidence-informed clinical practice
- Tai Chi Falls Prevention — The strongest evidence-based exercise intervention for falls prevention, delivered by expert instructors
- Polypharmacy Reduction — TCM as a strategy to reduce medication burden and associated risks in older adults
- Frailty & Sarcopenia Program — Integrated TCM herbal therapy, exercise, and nutrition for muscle preservation and frailty reversal
- Cost-Effectiveness — World-class integrative geriatric care at significantly lower cost than equivalent treatment in Western countries
The CMCS Patient Journey
- Initial Inquiry — Share the patient's medical history, current medications, functional status, cognitive assessment, and care goals with CMCS.
- Medical Record Preparation — We translate and organize all records for specialist pre-consultation review.
- Specialist Matching — We identify the most appropriate geriatrician based on the patient's primary concerns — frailty, cognition, falls, multimorbidity, or longevity optimization.
- Priority Scheduling — We secure a comprehensive geriatric assessment appointment with minimal waiting time.
- Travel & Logistics — Assistance with visa invitation letters, accessible accommodation near Longhua Hospital, and Shanghai airport transfers.
- On-Site Concierge — Bilingual coordinators accompany the patient and family throughout all hospital visits, managing registration, translation, and communication.
- Care Coordination — Full coordination of multidisciplinary assessments, herbal prescription dispensing, acupuncture sessions, Tai Chi program enrollment, and any required investigations.
- Post-Visit Follow-Up — Care plan translation, herbal prescription renewal, and remote follow-up coordination after returning home.
Book a Consultation
If you or a family member is seeking expert integrative geriatric care in Shanghai — whether for comprehensive assessment, frailty management, cognitive health, falls prevention, or healthy aging optimization — CMCS can arrange a specialist consultation with Longhua Hospital's geriatrics team.
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