January 4, 2016
Chronic diseases, like heart disease, diabetes, COPD, etc., are on the rise. In fact, 92% of seniors age 65 and over have at least one chronic illness, and 77% of seniors have at least two, which means many American seniors have not only multiple physicians, but also multiple medications to help them manage their health. But are we over-medicating our older adults?
There are many who feel that our focus as a society has been far too often on medical interventions, and far too infrequently on the type of care needed to improve quality of life. With as many as 12 million Americans requiring assistance with activities of daily living, one of Continuum’s goals as advocates for older adults in St. Louis and St. Charles Counties is to help educate those in the medical realm on the benefits professional home care can provide.
According to Howard Gleckman, contributing writer for Forbes.com, “Rather than doing that third scan on the same body part, we could better spend our dollars on home delivered meals or an adult day program for an otherwise homebound senior.”
Better communications between doctors, seniors and their families is essential to ensure that quality of life is not being sacrificed in favor of aggressive medical procedures, but instead, that appropriate care is provided according to the patient’s wishes and goals. Read more of Gleckman’s perspective on seniors and medical treatment.
Senior care agencies, like Continuum, can help older adults and their families maintain strong lines of communication with healthcare providers, to address concerns about medications and ensure that the senior’s care plan is designed to meet his or her needs. Contact Continuum to learn more about how we can help your loved one maintain proper medication compliance via our home care services in St. Louis and the surrounding area.