Advantages & disadvantages of admitting an older person to hospital Flashcards
Why might older people feel more safe and cared for when admitted to hospital?
Hospital employees viewed as ‘experts’, so being in their care makes people feel safe
Why is hospital admission of older people beneficial, when considering the whole MDT team and discharge?
People receive knowledge and support from different MDT members (eg. PT, OT dieticians) to manage own care at home after discharge, which helped maintain independence
Why is hospital admission of older people beneficial, regarding the older person’s knowledge about their condition?
People feel relieved when they are given knowledge about why their symptoms are occurring and how they can be managed
How can hospital admission of older people be beneficial for their relatives who care for them?
Relief for relatives who have responsibility of caring for older person if they develop new symptoms at home and relieves pressure on carer
Why might hospital admission be more beneficial for older people, to receive timely care?
When patient needs are changing at home, community services are challenged to respond in a timely manner in order to ensure patients feel safe.
How can hospital admission increase risk of infection for older people?
Risk of hospital-acquired infection
How can hospital admission affect a older person’s relationship with their carer?
Can disrupt person’s relationship with carer at home, which could be hard to re-establish when person is discharged
How does hospital admission affect the risk of older people developing frailty syndrome delirium, and what can delirium lead to?
Significantly increased risk of developing frailty syndrome delirium due to stressful and unfamiliar surroundings
which can cause serious conditions eg. accelerating/triggering dementia, leads to longer admission time and residential care
How does functional independence change for most people over 75 years old after discharge from hospital admission?
Most older people are less functionally independent after discharge
What is the disadvantage of hospital care being standardised across most older people?
Care can be impersonal and dehumanising
