I have sensed a number of issues with the health care of my elderly. One important issue being the lack of coordination and lack of clear instructions. My uncle has Type 2 Diabetes for more than 7 years. Recently, he had a foot injury and was referred to the podiatry, for further examination. On seeing the blood reports, the doctor suggested that he visit the nephrologist. The nephrologist was located in a different building and I had to locate the nephrologist myself and also take care of my uncle simultaneously. It would have been great if all this was coordinated by a single department. The other issue is the number of tablets prescribed to him. I have a feeling that these tablets make him weak and it would be great if the tablets are reduced to a minimum. There is also a lack of a community service, that will promote better lifestyle and motivate elderly to remain healthy. Many elderly, for some reason, lose the motivation to take care of themselves and need psychological support. This is often lacking in geriatric medicine. Though my dad is insured, we still pay for medicine from our saving, and there is no clear protocol to get the money reimbursed. It would be great if there was a one stop solution to the problem. The other concern I have is about the long waits and overcrowding, that make it difficult to see a doctor or get appointments.
Elderly people also have a communication problem and they tend to forget things. Sometime my uncle is not clear about what he needs from the doctor, nor does he remember the tablets nor the time he needs to take them. I help him out with it and when I am not around, I assign the task to someone. I would like to know if there is any way to may him more independent and take care of himself. Very often elderly people hesitate to ask help and there is a need for a proactive approach from health care services to create awareness and opportunity for better health in this population (elder-one-stop.com, 2016). It is necessary to ensure them that they are not alone and to treat them with dignity (AgingCare, 2016).
References:
AgingCare,. (2016). Elder Care: Home Care, Senior Living and Caregiver Support - AgingCare.com. Retrieved 14 February 2016, from https://www.agingcare.com/
elder-one-stop.com,. (2016). Elderly Health Care Issues and Solutions. Retrieved 14 February 2016, from http://www.elder-one-stop.com/elderly-health-care.html
