Health Care for the Elderly in the Senior Living Setting
Health care comes in all sizes, packages, knowledge. Health care however differs in care, in this case, geriatric care in different settings.
Geriatric medicine or care in an assisted living is very much differently approached, seen, or carried out than in skilled nursing or home-based care.
In the first of our series here, we begin with assisted living, as a geriatrician treating homebound elderly in assisted living versus seeing them in an office or outpatient setting, the methodology is quite distinct and unique to its own set of challenges.
Here are key insights from my decades of experience:
- Is the older adult fit for the assisted living environment? Do they understand or does the family understand assisted living?
- What are their expectations of care?
- What needs do they have, or help do they need to live safely and prevent unwanted morbidities?
- What rules and regulations do assist living to follow in caring for their elderly?
- How ambulatory or homebound are they? Is ambulation a risk? How likely are they to falls?
- Where do they eat their meals or is it room service or needs caregiver help?
- Can they swallow, can they eat normal meals, do they have teeth or dentures? How big a piece of food can they swallow?
- How is their fluid intake, can they ask for water, can they communicate when necessary?
- Are they room bound mostly or do socialize and if so how much and what kinds?
- How are their speech and conversation? Does it sound normal or erratic or broken or muffled?
- How friendly are they, or are they recluse or love privacy? what irritates them?
- How often do support systems visit or call on them? Does it have any impact on them?
- How is their behavior towards a roommate, caregiver, visitor?
- Do they take naps, sleep during the daytime, awake all night, or feel rested?
- External appearance? Refuse personal hygiene, normal, or otherwise?
Here was a gist of my insights, will be sharing more on our upcoming youtube channel, so stay tuned…Please feel free to comment, send us ideas or give us feedbacks so people offering geriatric care like caregivers and families could benefit from these insights.
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