Issues Regarding Hospital Care for the Elderly

Caring for the elderly in a hospital requires attention to issues that are not always present when caring for younger patients. In addition to the immediate medical condition being treated, other issues, such as regular medication, follow-up care and ongoing medical problems, must be taken into consideration. The mental condition of the patients as well as mobility issues must be considered when treating the elderly.

Significance

• When the elderly spend time as inpatients at a hospital, they require additional services to help them in their recovery. They often have other medical conditions, such as arthritis or poor vision or hearing, that can affect their ability to follow doctors' orders or respond properly to inquiries.

Function

• Available family members can serve as intermediaries for the medical staff. When family or friends are not available, these extra duties typically fall on the attending nurses. Nurses already carry the biggest portion of patients' inpatient care and are not always equipped with the proper training to deal with geriatric issues. Time constraints also limit the amount of extra attention the patients may receive.

Types

• Intervention is being introduced in many hospitals to reduce the risks of additional injuries from falls while seniors undergo inpatient hospital treatment. Complications arise from falls that increase the cost and duration of the hospital stay. Incontinence, mental acuity and problems with drug interactions are issues that also are being addressed. The American Medical Association (AMA) supports geriatric training for all hospital employees, beginning in medical school, to deal with the growing aging population.

Considerations

• Preparing elderly patients for discharge may require additional services than are normally given to other patients. While the recovery time is longer for senior citizens, they seldom have the necessary tools they need to continue with their recovery. They often are unprepared for the change in their energy level and ability to perform their regular housekeeping duties. When patients present discernible memory impairment, recovery directions may be ignored.

Misconceptions

• Stereotypes also can disrupt a successful hospital treatment plan when nurses treat elderly patients inappropriately. While many seniors bring a multitude of additional needs with them to the hospital, there are other older patients who are completely capable of communicating with the staff. Additional testing upon admission for symptoms of dementia, hearing loss or frailty is being suggested by groups, such as the AMA, to address the issues regarding hospital care for the elderly.

Potential

• The issues confronting the care of the elderly while they are hospitalized present opportunities for additional training and services. Healthcare professionals intent on providing a continuum of care for their patients are looking for solutions to both decrease costs of treating the elderly and making hospital visits more comfortable for seniors.