Different patients. Different mission. Different methods. A Geriatric ER is designed to address the unique needs of older adults, resulting in specialised approaches to care.
This year, adults 75 and older will visit emergency rooms more than any other cohort, except infants. And for elders, and their families, these visits are often a source of dread. Long, uncomfortable, disorienting waits that expose loved ones to environments teeming with sick people, germs and viruses are just the beginning of the apprehension.
No wonder a growing trend towards Geriatric emergency room care designed specifically for older folks caught our attention.
Geriatric Emergency Rooms.
What makes them different. And better.
To be designated a Geriatric Emergency Room, a facility most offer a variety of practices and protocols. The American College of Emergency Physicians oversees the accreditation. Since 2017, 624 emergency departments have earned the designation.
At a high level, elder-focused emergency care is designed to prevent disorientation, falls and other issues. The ultimate goal is to reduce hospital admissions that, for older adults, often precipitate a decline in health.
Improved emergency care for elders is marked by a variety of practices:
- Immediate transfer to a room, as opposed to a long wait.
- Gurneys with extra thick mattresses, to prevent bedsores, as well as ample blankets.
- Sound absorbing walls to lessen the general din of the modern emergency room.
- Rooms with windows, to help patients keep track of time, with the goal of preventing delirium (a common risk with older patients, that can lead to or exacerbate dementia.)
- Offering tools to push back against the sensory overload or deprivation that often accompany older people to the emergency room. These include reading glasses, sound amplifying devices and dimmer lights, as well as eye masks for sleep.
From E.R. to home. Not hospital.
Exposure to infection, staff errors and the rapid deconditioning that comes with time spent in bed: No wonder, Geriatric E.R. staff, like elders and their families, seek to avoid hospital stays.
Studies show that elder-focused emergency room practices succeed at keeping people out the hospital and, more important, reduce deaths over time. You can find more about those stats and the geriatric E.R. trend here.
While there are over 5,000 emergency departments in the United States, the development of the Geriatric Emergency Room is, without a doubt, positive news.
It’s also good information to share with clients, should the need arise.
Stay ontop of trends with AgePros. And be sure to check out this post from earlier in the year.
