July 28, 2015
From the moment you choose Continuum for your senior home care services and we do a home walk-through to assess needs, our elder care experts work with you to make your home as safe as possible, to avoid unnecessary falls and hospitalizations. We understand how devastating a trip to the ER can be for seniors.
A recent study confirms that hospitalizations can be traumatic for the elderly and those who care for them for a variety of reasons – financial, emotional, and physical. The findings from Yale link acute hospitalizations to both the progression and development of disability.
The study followed more than 500 seniors age 70+ on a monthly basis, collecting details on their health and functional status for 15 years – including information on hospitalizations and the ability to perform activities of daily living. Researchers then outlined six different levels of disability in a progressive scale, from fully functional through very severely disabled.
The resulting data showed an undisputed link between hospitalizations and levels of disability in the last year of life. According to Thomas M. Gill, M.D., professor of medicine at Yale School of Medicine, “These results suggest that the disabling process in the last year of life is strongly influenced by the occurrence of acute hospitalizations.”
Physicians and family caregivers of the elderly should consider these findings in determining the appropriate type of care to avoid acute hospitalizations, whether that might mean restorative intervention for those without disability, or palliative care for those more severely disabled.
To learn how Continuum can help your loved one stay safe, please call us today at (314) 863-9912 or (636) 861-3336, or contact us to find out more about Continuum’s home care services in St. Louis and St. Charles Counties or to arrange for a FREE in-home consultation.