Ann Arbor Michigan Senior Care Company Explains Benefits of Emergency Rooms Tailored to Baby Boomers

ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Nov. 24, 2013 - PRLog -- At thousands of hospitals nationwide, older patients waiting for care in the emergency room often feel like they are waiting in a bustling, run-down bus station. Incessant noise. Harsh lighting. Slick linoleum floors. Dozens of strangers all crammed in a stuffy, overcrowded space for hours. With roughly 70 million baby boomers now in America, and the number increasing daily, many hospital emergency rooms are now undergoing dramatic makeovers directed toward the healthcare needs of seniors.

With both the upsurge of baby boomers and costs of healthcare, plus competition from urgent-care facilities and after-hour clinics that charge less, many hospitals are now designing entire geriatric emergency rooms. Today’s elderly healthcare consumers are finding ERs focusing not just on anesthetics but aesthetics. In state after state, hospitals with outdated triage centers are investing millions of dollars in building renovations, cutting-edge equipment and additional staffing – improvements directly affecting aging baby boomers.

“Seniors who need emergency room treatment may be at higher risk for hospital admissions or health complications if they have to wait too long in the ER,” said Charles Williams, Owner and General Manager of Right at Home Ann Arbor. “As senior care providers, we know how important it is for the elderly to receive attentive medical care as quickly as possible. Hospital emergency rooms designed just for older adults are a much-welcomed and even life-saving benefit for patients and a relief for their families, too.”

A nationwide study by George Washington University Medical Center in Washington, D.C., found that in the past decade, visits by seniors to emergency rooms have increased by more than a third. While general emergency rooms focus on broad-spectrum cases including serious accidents and shootings, elder-focused ERs address urgent needs of older adults who cannot be seen quickly by their own doctor during business hours. Common ER trips for seniors include falls, medication reactions and pain issues related to chronic illnesses. In hospital acute-care settings, older patients do best with more calming and comfortable assistance and surroundings that minimize risks for injury. Emergency rooms converted or built specifically for seniors typically offer:

-Better-designed computer in-take systems that reduce patient wait time.
-Less crowded sub-waiting areas with more comfortable, ergonomic seating.
-Upgraded medical records for more seamless care among all medical providers.
-Nonskid floors to reduce the risk of falls.
-Reduced noise, including room curtains without the sound of metal scraping against metal.
-More personalized attention, including extra volunteers to interact with seniors as they wait.
-Softer lighting, including artificial skylights that change with time of day to prevent confusion.
-Thicker, softer mattresses and reclining chairs to lessen pressure.
-Additional handrails along room and hallway walls.
-Easier-to-read clocks and telephones, and larger print medical forms.
-Book carts and music selections that relate more to seniors’ interests.
-Handheld tablets to listen to music, order food or interact in two-way conversations with medical staff.

“Only a small number of hospitals across the country now have emergency rooms specifically for elders,” said Williams. “Hopefully, more hospitals will follow suit. Medical care focused directly on our aging population can reduce unnecessary or repeat hospital visits and lessen the strain on both elderly patients and their families. The improved efficiency and care of senior-tailored ERs is a win-win for everyone.”

About Right at Home

Founded in 1995, Right at Home offers in-home companionship and personal care and assistance to seniors and disabled adults who want to continue to live independently. Local Right at Home offices are independently owned and operated and directly employ and supervise all caregiving staff, each of whom is thoroughly screened, trained, bonded and insured prior to entering a client’s home. Right at Home’s global office is based in Omaha, Nebraska, with franchise offices located in 42 states nationwide and throughout the world. For more information on Right at Home, read the Right at Home caregiving blog at http://www.rightathome.net/blog (http://www.rightathome.net/blog.About).

About Right at Home of Ann Arbor

The Ann Arbor Michigan office of Right at Home is a locally owned and operated franchise office of Right at Home, Inc., proudly offering senior care to the communities of Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Saline, Belleville, Plymouth, Chelsea, Dearborn, Canton, Dexter, and beyond. For more information, contact Right at Home of Ann Arbor at http://www.rightathome.net/washtenaw or by phone at (734) 971-5000.