Some doctors not giving elderly a say in hospital care

Caregivers for seniorsface a lot of challenges when trying to make the right medical decisions for their loved ones. It’s important to consult and listen to trusted family doctors, but even as a person ages, he still needs to have a say in how his medical treatment progresses.

With the exception of patients who are in very late stages of dementia and legally unable to make their own medical decisions, elderly patients should be given the autonomy to contribute to their medical care plans. Yet a study from the Oxford Journals has found that many elderly patientsare not given an appropriate say for whether or not they would be admitted to an intensive care unit.

Decision making for the elderly

According to geriatric experts, allowing a senior to have some say in his daily life or medical carecan begreatly beneficialto their mental and physical health. In a study of 15 different medical facilities, however, only a fraction of patients over the age of 80 were ever asked if they wanted to have their treatments moved to an intensive care unit before they were transferred to one. Of 2,000 aware, functioning patients who were capable of giving a sound option, only 270 were even asked.

The study’s lead author,Dr. Julien Le Guen of the Universite Paris Descartes in France, stated that he believed any elderly patient should at least be asked his opinion, even if dementia or other cognitive disturbance is presence. Doctorsshould make an effort to take these opinions into account before moving patients or putting them through intensive treatment programs.

For some elderly folk, therapies in ICU’s can be uncomfortable, and don’t always work to extend a person’s life. Many experts on senior living argue that a person’s ability to take their own comfort and care into their own handsis essential for his well being.

How care givers can help

Those who are tasked with caring for an elderly friend or relative can play an important role in bridging the gap between patient and medical professionals. Caregivers should ask their loved one before making any medical decisions on his behalf, even if they believe it’s unlikely that the senior will be able to give a well-informed opinion on the matter. These caregivers should also try to talk to doctors to get a better understanding of the care that is being offered, and help to express the patient’s concerns. It may fall to the caregivers to be a voice and an advocate for their loved one if the doctor’s are not taking his opinion into account.

Legally, according to the Patient Self Determination Act, a competent patient needs to be consulted prior to his medical treatment. As long as a senior is able to give an informed, coherent choice, his say should be what makes the final decision regarding his care. Even if it is deemed that the patient is not capable of making an informed enough decision on his own, his word should be taken seriously and considered before any other contradicting medical steps are taken.