Some rules for geriatric patient safety from Today’s Hospitalist.
Review medications regularly. Watch out for such hospital booby traps as automatic stops, omissions in transfer from ICU to ward, changing renal function requiring dose adjustments, etc. Assess gait, fall risk, functional status and skin problems early and regularly. Get physical therapy involved early.
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Occupational therapy will be of great benefit to the geriatric patient, also. Their personal goal maybe to return home, get dressed each day and prepare a simple meal. The OT can teach adaptive strategies for dressing, teach work simplification and teach energy conservation. The OT teaches skills for living, addresses muscle weakness, teaches fall prevention strategies and uses theraputic activities to get the older person back in the game of life. Also, the occupational therapist has a good understanding of theories behind behavior change. Recovering and returning to independent living with a change is status requires behavior change and adaptation. Get occupational therapy involved early, too.
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