Can geriatric hospitals reduce pressure on the health system? Maybe – but improving aged care is paramount.

Australia is experiencing a rise in hospital presentations amongst older adults. between the 2015-16 and 2019-20Hospitalization rates increased by a mean of three% annually amongst people aged 75-84, the biggest increase of any age group.

This increased demand puts significant pressure on the health care system, contributing to poor patient flow, longer stays in emergency departments (EDs), and even ambulance ramping. This happens when paramedics are asked to attend on the hospital entrance and can't transfer their patient to the ED inside an affordable period of time.

In response, some health system leaders recently called for the creation of Stand alone Geriatric Hospital Especially to fulfill the needs of elderly patients.

But is it idea? While there could also be some advantages, the demand for specialist geriatric hospitals is indicative of Australia's failure to offer adequate take care of the elderly.

Geriatric care in Australia

Across Australia, geriatric care is commonly provided as a sub-acute admission to hospitals, in specialist wards, units and clinics, following the acute care a part of the hospital stay.

There is a way. Germological diagnosis and management servicesthat focus on the functioning of patients with age-related medical conditions, similar to frailty and cognitive decline, following surgery or other medical events.

In most states, geriatric evaluation and management services may additionally be available. Delivered at home.

Looking at data from In government hospitals across the countrywe are able to see that the extent of services varies from state to state. We calculate that in 2020–21, geriatric assessment and management services involving a minimum of one overnight stay represent 45% of sub-acute care admissions in Victoria and 20% in South Australia, however the Australian Capital Territory and Only around 8% within the New South. Wells

Hospital-based services of this kind take a holistic approach to assessing multiple features of an older person's health, similar to mobility, mental status, medication management, nutrition and social support, to develop individualized care plans. who help the elderly. Staying at home longerwith a prime quality of life.

On the opposite hand, lack of access to community-based geriatric care – similar to home care packages – is commonly thought to guide to the necessity for specialised geriatric care in hospitals and longer hospital stays.

We know. Current waiting time For the Level 4 package (the best level) it's nine to 12 months, although the federal government has promised to cut back this with recent aged care reforms.

Without adequate support at home, older adults often find yourself in hospital where they'll sometimes spend weeks or months waiting to be transferred to aged care.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Geriatric Hospitals

A special geriatric hospital could be built keeping in mind the needs of elderly patients. This may include specialized medical and support services, but additionally an appropriate physical environment, similar to clear signage and quiet spaces.

It is very important to take into consideration who will staff these standalone geriatric hospitals. Germ patients will still require specialists apart from paediatricians, so this may require a cardiologist specializing in cardiology, for instance. Alternatively, such segregation of care may mean that geriatric patients receive lower quality cardiology care (and of other specialties).

Will additional capability at a stand-alone hospital help the pressure on the health system? The easy answer is yes, but, as with all recent capability addition to the hospital system, if it unlocks unmet demand and attracts much more patients to community and aged care hospitals If there's, then it will be unlikely to assist with ED congestion.

It's also value considering whether a standalone hospital will include its own geriatric ED. It is unlikely that the ED on this context will receive the patient volume that EDs need to keep up quality and efficiency. But without one, transfers from existing EDs will further stretch scarce ambulance resources.

So, would a standalone geriatric hospital be cheaper than spending the budget required to construct it in other ways? By specializing in specific populations that can have the best impact, we are able to stack the business case.

Dementia care: a possible focus for specialist hospitals

Psychiatric care – Mental health care Older people—a primary example of where federal funding gaps fail patients. This is very true for individuals with behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia.

Families are not well supported. To manage the heavy burden of care in the neighborhood, and community care is ill-equipped to offer adequate support for these people. As a result, patients are trapped within the social safety net of a public hospital bed.

These beds often provide non-specialized take care of dementia patients. Unfamiliar and overstimulating environment, with staff who may misinterpret these patients' behaviors, Challenging behavior only worsens. This in turn makes it difficult for aged care providers to just accept the person.

Currently in SA, there are between 50 and 70 patients with symptoms of dementia who're stuck in hospital, who don't have any compelling medical reason to be there, waiting for a spot where they could be safely discharged. Coins, similar to aged care. Our experience is that, on average, these patients have a length of stay of fifty to 60 days and cause bottlenecks throughout the ED. This number will increase because the population ages.

A standalone dementia hospital could bring the States and the Commonwealth together on the care of individuals with behavioral and psychosocial symptoms of dementia. It can't replace residential aged care, but may help with the transition by improving the hospital experience for individuals with specific age-related needs.

However, it's going to be necessary to keep up existing multidisciplinary approaches, similar to geriatric assessment and management services, to avoid isolating or isolating care for individuals who are already vulnerable.

Upgrading existing hospitals for the elderly

While the decision for stand-alone geriatric hospitals could have some merit, it ultimately signals Australia's failure to offer adequate and integrated hospital and aged care.

Commonwealth Government announced recently Significant changes to aged care funding and recent support for home care. Existing hospital services would definitely do higher with more options for patients to be referred after their hospital stay.

coming Commonwealth Aged Care Act Many features of take care of older Australians are expected to reform. But without more detail and cooperation between the federal government and the states and territories, integrated service planning is unattainable.

In the meantime, existing hospitals can begin to rework themselves as spaces higher suited to the needs of older people.