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The Top 10 Health Care Mistakes Made By
the Elderly
Written By: ElderLawAnswers.com
Last Updated: 4/2/2007
Americans are living longer
than ever before, but many older Americans could better
deal with their health problems, according to the
Institute for Healthcare Advancement (IHA). To help
the elderly stay healthier longer, the IHA has identified
the 10 most common mistakes older Americans make in caring
for their health.
The Institute is a non-profit organization based in La
Habra, California, that demonstrates innovative health
care practices and educates health care professionals and
consumers.
The IHA's 10 most common health care mistakes made by
the elderly are:
- Driving when it’s no longer safe
The elderly often associate mobility in a car with
their independence, but knowing when it is time to stop
driving is important for the safety of everyone on the
road. Decisions about when to stop driving should be
made together with a family physician because
chronological age alone does not determine someone’s
fitness to drive.
- Fighting the aging process and its appearance
Refusing to wear a hearing aid, eyeglasses or
dentures, and reluctance to ask for help or to use
walking aids are all examples of this type of denial.
This behavior may prevent the senior from obtaining
helpful assistance with some of the problems of aging.
- Reluctance to discuss intimate health problems
with the doctor or health care provider
Older Americans may not want to bring up sexual or
urinary difficulties. Sometimes problems that the
individual thinks are trivial, such as stomach upsets,
constipation, or jaw pain, may require further
evaluation.
- Not understanding what the doctor told them about
their health problem or medical treatment plan
“I could not understand the doctor,” or “He told me
what to do, but you know me, I can’t remember what he
said” are typical complaints. Reluctance to ask the
doctor to repeat information or to admit that they do
not understand what is being said can result in serious
health consequences.
- Disregarding the serious potential for a fall
Falls result in fractures and painful injuries, which
sometimes take months to heal. To help guard against
falling, the elderly should remove scatter rugs from the
home and have adequate lighting in the home and work
areas. They should wear sturdy and well-fitting shoes,
and watch for slopes and cracks in sidewalks.
Participating in exercise programs to improve muscle
tone and strength is also helpful.
- Failure to have a system or a plan for managing
medicines
Missed medication doses can result in inadequate
treatment of a medical condition. By using daily
schedules, pill box reminders or check-off records,
seniors can avoid missing medication doses. Because
health care providers need to know all of the medicines
that an elderly patient is taking, patients should
maintain a complete list of all their prescription and
over-the-counter medicines, including dose and the
reason that the medicine is being taken.
- Not having a single primary care physician who
looks at the overall medical plan of treatment
Health problems may be overlooked when a senior goes
to several different doctors or treatment programs, and
multiple treatment regimens may cause adverse responses.
The patient may be over- or under-treated if a single
physician is not evaluating the full medical treatment
program.
- Not seeking medical attention when early possible
warning signs occur
Reasons for such inaction and denial may include lack
of money or reduced self worth due to age. "I am so old
it doesn’t matter anymore.” Of course, such treatment
delays can result in a more advanced stage of illness
and a poorer prognosis.
- Failure to participate in prevention programs
Flu and pneumonia shots, routine breast and prostate
exams are examples of readily available preventive
health measures that seniors should utilize to remain
healthy.
- Not asking loved ones for help
Many older Americans are simply too stubborn to ask
for help, whether due to an understandable need for
independence or because of early signs of dementia. It’s
important that elderly people alert family members or
other loved ones to any signs of ill health or unusual
feelings so that they can be assessed before the problem
advances.
In an effort to help older Americans become less
fearful of medical conditions and more empowered about
their health, the IHA has published What To Do For
Senior Health, an easy-to-understand, self-help
medical book for senior citizens. For more information or
to order the book, call (800) 434-4633 or go to
www.iha4health.org.
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