My good friend and colleague, Judah Ronch, Dean of the Erickson School at UMBC, sent me this article with the note, “Look what we started.” It looks good:
When 85-year-old Aloysius “Al” Boroniec fell twice in a matter of weeks, he found treatment for his injuries in a different kind of emergency room — one that caters specifically to the needs of seniors.
The six-bed senior emergency room at St. Mary Mercy Livonia Hospital includes everything from padded mattresses and non-glare flooring to a consultation with a senior ER social worker.
“It’s just been a wonderful experience,” said Boroniec of Livonia. “This is very efficient. In a reasonable time the doctor was with you and took care of you.
“Before you leave, they explain everything to you, what to do to take care of yourself, when to come back.”
Saint Joseph Mercy Health System, which will have eight senior emergency rooms open in southeast Michigan by year’s end, is not the only health system adapting to meet the needs of a growing elderly population.
Henry Ford hospitals in Warren and Clinton Township plan to renovate their emergency rooms to include space especially for seniors by mid-2011. Dearborn-based Oakwood Healthcare Inc., which has four hospitals, also is considering implementing geriatric-focused services in its emergency rooms.
From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20101025/LIFESTYLE03/10250339/Hospitals-designing-senior-ERs-to-cater-to-needs-of-the-elderly#ixzz13TQeofIA
Here’s a reminder of “what we started” and why we’re proud of it.
