Emergency Preparedness and Risk

¶ … Health, Healthcare, and Emergency Preparedness Needs of a Defined Population Many of the patients at my healthcare institution -- a suburban New Jersey hospital in New Jersey specializing in rehabilitating patients from brain traumas -- have suffered a stroke or aneurysm. Because adults over the age of 65 are universally covered by Medicare (although some may also have private insurance or Medicaid), most geriatric patients within my practice have access to insurance.

Although most of the younger patients are also insured in some form, given that they did not expect such a traumatic event to occur at such a young age, many have less comprehensive insurance and may face high medical bills due to high deductibles or copays. Not all patients have made adequate preparation for themselves and their families should they be incapacitated. Discussing end-of-life care is a difficult issue that may be challenging for families to raise with an elderly relative.

Patients who require outpatient care may not be able to fully accept the fact that they may need assistance, particularly if their spouses cannot offer them basic care and they do not have friends or family living nearby. Patients who have suffered strokes may also suffer a loss of mobility and the ability to drive, which can be frustrating. Patients still in the workforce, because of the unexpected nature of the event, may not have made plans for loss of income.

Having frank conversations with patients, while still acknowledging their need for autonomy is required. Patients when they are released may still need assistance and may also require at-home support for physical and occupational therapy to reinforce the progress they have made during rehabilitation. As well as immediate post-rehabilitation support, preventative care to prevent future related events is also essential. Smoking cessation, exercising, weight loss, and reducing risk factors for cardiac events and diabetes can all reduce the risk of stroke or other brain-related trauma ("Stroke-Prevention," 2017).

Even patients who are diligent in seeing healthcare providers may struggle with making meaningful lifestyle changes. Q2. Safe Care Environment Falls are a serious issue for geriatric patients and creating an environment to minimize the risk of falls can foster confident both in patients and staff. Patients with a high fall risk should be assessed upon intake for their balance, medications, mental capacity, and other conditions. Patients with sleep disturbances are also at greater risk for falls.

The environment should be equipped with rails on the halls, in the bathroom and near the bed, and also have staff available to assist patients in daily life functioning when needed, including standing and sitting. "For even greater safety, consider using a shower chair and hand-held shower" ("6 steps," 2017). Even patients without orthopedic issues may experience unexpected light-headedness due to low blood pressure. For patients with visual impairments, labeling small differences in floor height, such as single stairs can be useful. Lighting should also be adequate. "Increase lighting.

especially at the top and bottom of stairs. Ensure that lighting is readily available when getting up in the middle of the night" ("6 steps," 2017). For.