By the end of the decade, every Baby Boomer will have celebrated their 65th birthday. As the population ages, hospitals are integrating new practices to meet the needs of older adults. PAH’s Emergency Department has made great progress and recently earned the American College of Emergency Physicians’ Bronze Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation.
“About 20 percent of the patients who come through the ED are over 65. We want them and their families to know we’re going to go the extra mile for them,” said Kevin M. Baumlin, MD, chair and medical director of Emergency Medicine. In a JAMA piece last month, Baumlin highlighted one of the ED’s initiatives, noting that having social workers review the case of every older adult seeking care allows PAH to “support individuals not just during their medical visit, but afterward by figuring out what services they may need to be successful at home.”
The team also provides assist devices, conducts cognitive and functional assessments, and is working to create a more age-friendly space. For example, clocks with large numbers can help older patients who are visually impaired, while exposure to natural light can reduce sundowning among those with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Nurses and techs have also undergone training led by Cathy Blinebury, BSN, RN, CEN, to mitigate ageism. Also key to these initiatives have been assistant medical director Dana Liu, MD, clinical nurse education specialist Phil Landis, DNP, RN, CEN, and nurse manager Lauren Ellis, BSN, RN.
“Our leaders have really taken the bull by the horns, and I know they’re going to take us from bronze to silver to gold,” Baumlin said. “Pennsylvania Hospital is working on a breadth of age-friendly initiatives, and this accreditation is just one part of that process.”