Affiliation
Senior Specialist: Internal Medicine and Head of Geriatric Medicine, The Albertina & Walter Sisulu Institute of Ageing in Africa, University of Cape Town / Groote Schuur Hospital, International Longevity Centre, South Africa.

Address
Division of Geriatric Medicine,
L51, Old Main Building,
Groote Schuur Hospital, Observatory,
7925, Cape Town,
South Africa.

Contact
Sebastiana.Kalula@uct.ac.za

Biosketch

Dr Kalula has worked in Geriatric Medicine for 19 years: in the UK from 1982 to 1989 and at Groote Schuur Hospital since 1992. She heads the Division of Geriatric Medicine at UCT/GSH since 2001. In addition to her primary qualifications (BSc, MBChB, LRCP&S and MRCP (UK)), she holds two postgraduate research degrees: M Med (Medicine) 2000 and MPhil (epidemiology) 2001 (Cape Town).

Key research/capacity building interests

Research Interests

• Falls in older persons
• Dementia and the role of vascular risk factors
• Quality of care in medical wards for older patients

Capacity Building Interests

• Undergraduate and postgraduate education and training to students in medicine and the allied health professions, with emphasis on specific aspects of care of the older person and multidisciplinary management in the practice of geriatric medicine.
• Education seminars for older persons with emphasis on health promotion and function maintenance.

Key methodological skills

• Qualitative methodologies

Current/planned research

• Profile of patients with memory disorders presenting to the UCT/GSH Memory Clinic. Challenges and benefits of their management. Impact of vascular risk factors on the progression of dementia.
• Quality of care for older persons in medical wards in a tertiary institution. Assessment of the care currently provided, exploration of any inadequacies, and planning of cost effective improvements in the quality of care within a cost constrained environment.

Current engagement in capacity building

• South African Geriatrics Society
• South African Gerontological Association (SAGA)
• International Longevity Centre – South Africa
• Alzheimer’s/Dementia South Africa