Geriatric ERs Provide Better Care for Older Adults

St. Joseph's University Medical Center opened the country's first geriatric emergency department a decade ago. Since then, the concept of emergency rooms (ERs) designed with seniors in mind has spread nationwide, Next Avenue reports. Dr. Kevin Biese, an emergency medicine physician at UNC Health Care in North Carolina, says such emergency departments are distinguished by four features: one, doctors and nurses who are trained to work with older adults; two, age-friendly design elements, ranging from thick mattresses to dimmed lights to non-skid floors; three, risk assessments for seniors to identify factors that could exacerbate their health problems; and, finally, the ability to connect individuals with community resources they need to remain healthy. "If you're an older adult, you can know that the care team has an awareness of your unique needs and vulnerabilities," Biese remarks. Aurora Health Care, a large health system headquartered in Milwaukee, began developing ERs that cater to seniors in 2014. Last spring, a total of five ERs in the Aurora system earned geriatric accreditation from the American College of Emergency Physicians. In total, more than 125 hospitals nationwide claim to have geriatric ERs. However, it should be known that some of those are glorified marketing ploys to attract older adults.