New wing will tailor the older folks who need emergency needs
GRAYLING, MI -- You’ve heard it before. Baby boomers are getting older.
Wednesday, a Crawford County hospital opened a hospital wing designed to meet the special medical needs of older adults.
According to census data, every eight seconds, one person is turning 65 years old. Mercy Hospital Grayling is trying to get a head start by unveiling their new “Senior Emergency Room."
"We wanted to be able to provide the best care for our seniors because they're growing all the time," said Amanda Janisse, RN, BSN, and assistant director of the emergency department.
Older adults make up 20-percent of all ER visits at Mercy Hospital Grayling. That percentage is expected to grow, because statistics show in the next 20 years, 77-million people will be classified a senior and turn 65.
"The better we get at taking care of people, the longer they live, and the longer they live with more medical problems, hence, the need for more medicine and more possible interactions," said Dr. Martin Lougen, and emergency department physician.
And to be on the cutting edge and prepare for the growing numbers, the hospital has opened a tailored wing for older folks; the new Senior ER.
"When ER’s first started, they were more focused on trauma and just episodic one-time care for patients, but now we see people who live in the community, they have chronic diseases, and we need to make sure we care for them well," said Janisse.
The hospital is focusing on the comfort, environment, and operations of the new Senior ER. The rooms will have pressure-reducing beds, communication boards for people who have a hard time talking and hearing, a more relaxing color scheme, and even restroom facilities.
“It's going to help us recognize more of their problems, it's going to help us recognize them earlier," said Dr. Lougen.
Doctors, nurses, and department heads took training courses to learn better ways of treating the seniors medically and personally.
"This helps us take better care in 20 percent of the people we see, and it should be a big improvement in the way we do business," said Dr. Lougen.
One of the new tools in this department is a pocket talker for seniors who have a tough time hearing. This Senior ER is the first of its kind in Northern Michigan.
The emergency department says this Senior ER is a part of a growing trend.
Seven hospitals in Southeast Michigan have opened Senior ERs since last July.
