Harmony Helps with Transitions Between Hospital and Home
What’s the big deal with Hospital Transitions for Seniors? It is hard to imagine having one of my grandparents sent home in a cab on a good day, not to mention after a serious hospital visit. Sad, is the case for two Manitoban seniors over the last couple of years.
Census data state that between 2010 and 2031, the aging rate of the Canadian population will change dramatically as baby boomers reach 65. In 2013, one in seven Canadians were aged 65 and over and by 2036 one in four will be a senior.
89 percent of seniors are dealing with at least one chronic condition. Arthritis/Rheumatism is one of the most common; it affects 44% of seniors, and 37 percent of Canadian seniors aged 80+ are reported to have four or more chronic conditions.
Why We Are Focusing on Hospital Transitions for Seniors
The reason Harmony Caregiving Inc., is focusing on the transition between the Hospital and Home for Seniors is evident with the recent reports on seniors being dropped off by taxi and reported as deceased shortly after.
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/Discharged-seniors-death-spurs-calls-for-change-at-Winnipeg-hospitals-239520321.html
According to Vitality Magazine “Hospital and Home Care for Seniors Leaves Gaps When Seniors are sent home from the hospital, along with their families and caregivers, they are often overwhelmed by discharge instructions, multiple medications, diet, follow-up tests and appointments, post-op and wound care. Given that 92% of seniors in Canada live in private households, often alone, the margin for error is great. Seniors are five times more likely to be hospitalized for adverse drug reactions (ADR) than younger people.”
In Canada, over 50% of acute care hospital beds are occupied by seniors on a given day. One-third of those seniors will be discharged at a significantly reduced level of functional ability, which will greatly impact their ability to live independently. (BC Medical Journal) Hospital stays carry the added risk of exposure to iatrogenic (doctor-caused) illness. The authors ‘Prevention in acute care for seniors,’ an article published in the BC Medical Journal, sum up the situation this way:
“On the eve of a demographic shift, the appropriateness and quality of hospital care for older adults remains grossly inadequate. We cannot accept that loss of independence following acute care is just a part of normal aging. The common cascade of both physical and cognitive decline is frequently preventable.”
“In 2005, pharmacists dispensed an average of 35 prescriptions per person aged 80 or older, compared with an overall average of 14 prescriptions per Canadian.” ~ IMS Health Canada. Canada Rx Report 2005
“In 2011, one in two hundred seniors was hospitalized due to an adverse drug reaction (ADR).” ~ Canadian Institute for Health Information, March 2013
Harmony Caregiving not only provides the safe arrival and set up from hospital to home, but our Pharmacist will also ensure your medications are correct as to help alleviate any foreseeable problems.