Continuity of individualized cace program of a derived geriatric patient due to acutenerr of pathology
J. Fuguet Ferrer, M. Gonzano Rubio, R. Martínez SellarésI.

SUMMARY

The significant increase of elderly persons that due to their alteration, partially or totally loose autonomy when it comes to satisfying their basic necessities, is highly justified not only by the aging process itself, but also by the increasing immobility that is caused by hospitalization. This situation leads to an increase in costs for iatrogenic reasons, or to personal dissatisfaction, and definitely to a decrease in the life quality of the aged. When referring to the satisfaction of basic necessities this alteration could result essentially due to the unexpected removal of the program prepared for the sick, due to ignorance about the mentioned program (change of institution, lack of information, etc.). A document is designed representing all data of vital importance to the solving of the health problem and to avoid adjacent complications. The carrying out of this "Emergency Personal Form" is to be accomplished from the very first moment of admission to our institution of the elderly for the purpose of having it ready in any case of "unforeseen pathology". The data is revised every time there is a modification of the individual's health .mate or at least every three months (coinciding with the interdisciplinary valuation).

It is of priority that among the nurses of the different areas of health care attention, whether in hospitals (emergency rooms, attention units, etc.,) primary health attention, geronto-geriatric institutions..., establish channels of communication to be able to start attending to the educative
necessities referring to life habits, periodic controls, medication taking, etc..., in the most homogenous manner, avoiding contradicting information, and definitely fomenting working as a team.

The principal objective of our daily work should be that the geriatric elderly receive the best quality of attention possible.

KEY WORDS

Continuity of care, geriatric emergencies, quality of attention.

Vol. 13 nº1-2002