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Researchers at the Hebrew Senior Life Institute for Aging Research in Boston have posted their latest findings online in the Archives of Internal Medicine. California Elder abuse lawyers will find many of the findings interesting, because they relate to the treatment of nursing home residents who suffer from dementia.
Dementia patients are some of the most vulnerable residents of nursing homes. Unfortunately, often these patients are subjected to aggressive treatments and transfers to hospitals, even though there is little evidence to indicate that any of this has any benefit on their condition. The researchers looked at more than 300 patients in Boston nursing homes over a period of three months. These persons had their medical care paid for by Medicare programs. The researchers found that one of the largest expenditures under the Medicare program for these patients, was hospitalizations. Hospitalizations accounted for 30% of the total expenditure. 10% of the expenses went towards skilled nursing home care after the hospitalizations. According to the researchers, a staggering 70% of those hospitalizations were avoidable.
According to the researchers, there is enough evidence to indicate that patients with dementia can be treated just as well at a nursing home. In fact, persons with dementia may actually benefit more from remaining put at a nursing home, than being transferred to the hospital.
Most of the hospital trips among the patients in the study occurred when the patients developed respiratory infections, like pneumonia. Pneumonia is often commonly seen when dementia progresses to its final stages. At this stage of the disease, doctors prefer to use aggressive treatments, like intravenous antibiotics. Families of patients who suffer from dementia need to have discussions with their doctors about whether such treatment is necessary. According to the researchers, at this stage in their dementia, the person would no longer be in a position to recognize family members, leave alone performing routine tasks, like bathing or feeding themselves. Such persons would likely be more comfortable in a nursing home.
Overall, the researchers suggest that rushing patients with advanced dementia to hospitals where they are treated in emergency rooms, is, in many cases, totally unnecessary. A strange, unfriendly hospital environment can cause panic and fear in a patient. If the patient needs intravenous antibiotics, the nursing home can arrange to have these administered right in the nursing facility. These are issues that families of the patient need to discuss with doctors, so the patient is put through as little discomfort and pain as possible.
However, for these treatments to be administered in a comfortable setting in a nursing home, it's necessary for the nursing home facility to be of superior quality. Dementia patients are highly likely to be uncomfortable in a nursing home that has loud noise, tough and aggressive employees, and a chaotic environment. .Are you looking full ebook about this topicGet Full Ebook For This Article
