Being in the hospital is no picnic for anyone. For a senior, hospitalization can be especially stressful and traumatic. Even elderly patients with all their mental faculties can become confused and disoriented in the hospital. Those with any degree of dementia are often thrown completely for a loop when in the hospital.
There is little you can do to prepare for an unscheduled trip to the hospital. Emergencies happen when they happen. We have more control over scheduled hospital visits.
If you possibly can, avoid sending your elderly loved one to the hospital. If a trip to the hospital seems to be the best way to manage your elder's medical issue, there are several things you can do to make the visit as short as possible.
• Before you admit an older person to the hospital for a scheduled stay be sure you know everything you can about the reason. You should know the risks and benefits of any scheduled procedures, the anticipated results, and the expected rate of recovery for patients who are similar to your elder
• If a test or treatment can be done as an outpatient procedure, or in a day surgery center, this will usually be preferable to going into the hospital overnight
• If your elder's doctor anticipates working closely with other specialty physicians, ask if they will evaluate the patient before the hospitalization. This can often cut a day or two off the amount of time your elder will have to be in the hospital
• If anesthesia will be necessary, request a pre-hospital meeting with the anesthesiologist to talk about your senior's anesthesia options and the possible impact on your elder's mental functioning. General anesthesia often has a negative effect on brain functioning in the elderly
• If you are blessed to have a good support network, agree on a schedule in advance so one person doesn't have to do it all. Try to divide up the pre-hospital doctor visits. Set up a hospital visiting schedule so as much of the patient's awake time as possible is covered.
• Keep a notebook in the room so the visiting team can leave notes for the next shift. Be sure that everyone writes down what the doctor said, any new medications, procedures and tests done, etc.
• Be prepared to have someone stay with your elder around the clock if he or she becomes more confused or agitated while in the hospital. Best, of course, is someone familiar. If you don't have a trustworthy family team, then an outside agency can fill in for you at night so you can get some sleep. Just in case, before you check in ask the social worker at the hospital for a list of agencies they have used.
• Ask for a private room. The lack of privacy and twice as much coming and going in a semi-private room is confusing and distressing for a confused senior. Many hospitals now have only private rooms. If yours doesn't, the doctor will have to document medical justification for ordering a private room or your insurance may not cover the extra cost. He or she may not be able to truthfully do that.