Why Do Seniors End Up in the Emergency Room?

Emergencies happen to all of us from time to time. But as we grow older, the likelihood of a trip to the emergency department of a local hospital becomes increasingly more common. Seniors account for more than 19.6 million trips to emergency departments in the United States every year.

Because so many seniors end up in the emergency room every year, there has been a recent movement in the healthcare industry to redesign ERs to be more accommodating to the needs of older adults. These specialty senior ERs have features that are different from a typical emergency room including:

• Softer lighting
• Non-slip floors
• Bedside toilets
• Thicker mattresses

Leading Causes of Older Adults Emergency Room Visits

Most of us assume health conditions such as a stroke or heart attack are primarily what send older adults to the ER. In fact, seniors visit the emergency room for a number of other reasons.

1. Falls: Probably no real surprise here. Falls remain the leading cause of both fatal and non-fatal injuries among older adults. Every 13 seconds a senior is treated in the emergency room for a fall.
2. Car accidents and injuries: According to the Annals of Emergency Medicine, car accidents are the second most common form of trauma among older adults.
3. Medication errors and reactions: Because older adults metabolize medications differently than younger people, adverse drug reactions are more common. They send millions of seniors to the emergency room each year. Research shows four medications in particular account for two-thirds of emergency hospitalizations among seniors. They include blood thinners, insulin injections, aspirin, and oral diabetes drugs.
4. Heart Disease: Of the over 100 million emergency room visits that occur in the U.S., almost 1.8 million are for heart disease. Seniors are sent to an ER for heart-related symptoms such as chest pain, problems breathing and an overall feeling of weakness.
5. Diabetes: Undiagnosed or unmanaged diabetes is another leading reason older adults end up in an emergency room. Seniors are at risk for diabetes-related complications ranging from strokes and heart attacks to ulcers and dehydration.

Plan Ahead for an Emergency Room Visit

The best way to prepare for an unexpected trip to a Dallas or Fort Worth area emergency room with a senior loved one is to plan ahead. Maintain a list of medications your loved one is currently taking, as well as a list of any allergies. It’s also a good idea to create a brief medical history that includes past procedures, surgeries, and other important details. Being able to provide this important information will help your loved one quickly receive the care they need.

Frequent ER Visits May Be a Sign Change is Needed

One final thing to keep in mind is that frequent trips to the emergency room can be a sign that it is time for a senior loved one to make a change. If you’d like to start exploring senior living options in north Texas, we can help. You can speak with one of our local service care advisors today by calling us at 214-929-5055 or completing our Contact Form.

Senior Living Specialists is a free service for seniors and their families. We are compensated by a referral fee when a senior moves into a community or care home.