Hospital is no place to be when sick and senior

Growing up I always believed that a trip to the hospital meant that I would not only be cured of what ailed me but that my personal comfort, as well as my health, would be catered to. From my own experience with aging family members and that of the seniors that I work with, I know that this is not necessarily the case. Increases in the number of people using the system combined with the frailty of the people entering our hospitals, has led to minimum care being provided to each patient. If you are elderly or have an aging relative here are three things you need to know.
1) Personal care for an aging relative falls to the family. For example, most hospital staff will not shave patients meaning the family or privately sourced care givers are required to do this.

2) It falls to the family to monitor many of the basic functions such as eating and mood changes in their aging relatives.

3) Hospitals are not staffed adequately to assist patients to and from the bathroom meaning many seniors, unsteady on their feet or weak from illness, are placed in incontinent products to minimize risks of falling.

Should your loved one be deemed as unable to care for themselves and live independently, after they leave the hospital, long term care may be recommended by hospital staff. As a family member, caring for an aging parent or relative, here are three things you need to know.

a) Your loved one must be considered “bed ready” meaning ready for discharge from the hospital, prior to any applications being submitted for long term care.

b) Many hospital policies have been changes and now require that a family select a bed in a long term care facility, which has availability, as one of their facility choices even if they do not really want to go there.

c) Many hospitals are opting to charge patients who stay in their beds longer then the hospital deems warranted. This cost can range from $50 per day up to $700 per day.

So what can you do?

1) Ensure that aging relatives have a family member or advocate with them when they go to the hospital and ensure that this person is authorized to speak with medical staff re: care options.

2) Bring Powers of Attorney for Care to the hospital and add names to the hospital contact list that you want authorized to inquire about your care and make care choices should you be incapacitated.

2) Don't accept a bed at a long term care facility where you do not want to live. It is difficult to get moved once you are placed.

3) Look for a respite bed at a facility where you may want to stay versus a permanent placement.

4) Select an interim placement at a retirement home which provides a high level of assisted living.

Aging and illness

Dealing with illness in the family has a great impact on the entire family. The person who is ill is scared and in many cases may be facing serious illness for the first time in their life. Their loved ones, be it their spouse or their children, find themselves charting unknown territory with a whole host of unknown medical terms, treatment choices and very little time to make life altering decisions. Here are some helpful tips that may make the difference in the life of your loved one.

Illness can strike anyone at anytime. Elderly people, especially those with pre-existing conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure, may be putting themselves at greater risk by waiting too long to seek medical attention. If there is any major change in your health, do not wait to seek medical attention. Treatments, especially surgery, are higher risk procedures for seniors and people with a compromised immune system or other pre-existing conditions. For the medical team charged with a persons care, they will want to ensure that all tests and non-invasive treatment options are explored before moving to this higher, more risky level of treatment. These tests take time and, if the person is not in immediate danger, it may be several days before a final treatment decision is made. While these tests and decisions are being made, the ill person will be hospitalized. They may find themselves hospitalized for longer then expected due to the length of time required to stabilize them and get their body to be ready for surgery. Although the procedures for surgery have improved significantly, it is still a risk and no medical team wants the cure to put the person at greater risk.

Unforeseen complications arise from anesthetic, drug reactions and side effects from drugs. An additional risk may be caused by just being in a hospital environment where the exposure to germs and other viruses is increased. A body already stricken by illness can be further compromised.

Family members find themselves trying to manage their already hectic day-to-day schedules while now dealing with the added need to visit their family member in hospital. Hospital staff is stretched to the maximum and many families find that the only way to ensure that the comforts of their family member are met is to be there to do things themselves.

We know our own bodies and we know when something is not right. If you believe that something is seriously wrong, seek immediate care. The health care system is there to be used and the best gift you can give to your family members is to seek treatment and do not put it off thinking that you will get better on your own.