Each of the 5 aforementioned critical areas of success are measured and receive their own score in the assessment process for the senior. These scores allow a plan of care to be developed with the family that will subsequently increase the chance of success for the senior by working together to move each individual score to a safer zone. For example, if there are 60 safety risks identified (trip hazards, poisons, bed height) we would want to reduce the number of safety risks to 40 or below to increase the chance of success for the senior in their environment.
There are many reasons for these failures in the senior population including heart disease, cancer, diabetes and many other chronic diseases for sure. However, there are a significant number of “failures” caused directly by non-medical factors that can take many good years away from our loved ones such as: safety factors, falls, improper medication management, diet, hydration and many more.
As Nurses or Social Workers working with patients on the road to recovery from the hospital or rehab, or working with seniors trying to maintain as much independence as possible at home, you understand better than anyone that the transition home is far more complex than your patients or families understand.