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How can senior citizens deal with medical emergencies?

As people age, their health starts falling slowly. Some may develop medical issues while others may witness a slow decline in the faculties and body vitals as age catches up. Sometimes, this may lead to medical emergencies. Medical emergencies do not give you advance intimation. Isn’t that precisely why it is called an emergency?

So how can the elderly be equipped to deal with medical emergencies?

It could happen at a time when nobody is home. Or, it could be that the old parents are living alone. 

It is important to foresee this situation and plan for it. If nothing unforeseen happens, it is great. God forbid, if an emergency arises, they will be prepared to deal with it. Being equipped and mentally prepared is winning half the battle.

Emergency Preparedness Checklist for Seniors

  1. Keep a list of emergency contacts
  2. Stay Calm
  3. Keep your medicines well stocked
  4. Ensure you have a Medical Insurance
  5. Keep your medicines well stocked
  6. Get Professional Home Care
  7. Ambulance Assist and Hospitalisation Support
  8. Care Manager Support
  9. Post Operative Care
  10. Pandemic Precautions

Keep a list of emergency contacts 

It is important to draw up a list of people they could contact in case of an emergency. This would include doctors and immediate family. These numbers should be saved on the phone. It should also be written in big bold print and pinned up in every room. 

This could be life-saving because in an emergency nobody can afford to waste time looking for the right numbers. Any change in numbers should be updated immediately. An incorrect number is as good as not having a number.

Samvedna Care has a helpline that you can contact around the clock. This is designed to help the elderly in Delhi, Gurgaon and Noida NCR to reach out in case of medical emergencies. As soon as the call is received, ambulance services and assistance services will be provided.

Stay Calm

It is important to stay calm in an emergency as getting agitated will not help in any way, rather it can delay the process. The brain works slower when you are disoriented. 

The best thing to do is to compose yourself, reach out for the phone and call the number from your emergency list. 

If you call the emergency response services for the elderly at Samvedna Care and leave your name and address, an ambulance will be dispatched immediately to handle the situation and shift to the hospital if needed.

Keep your medicines well stocked

Elderly people may be taking several prescription drugs regularly for their ailments including tablets for blood pressure, blood sugar, heart etc. These need to be taken at the prescribed time and any miss or delay can cause problems that can even lead to medical emergencies.

The caregiver needs to ensure that the medicines are stocked well in time and monitor their intake. It can be dangerous if the elderly forget to take their medications on time. 

Samvedna Care provides home care services for the elderly. The home attendant can take care of their daily needs, monitor their health vitals, accompany them on doctor’s visits, keep their medicine box stocked, accompany them on walks and be a companion.

Take out  a Medical Insurance

As age catches up, health starts failing, demanding more attention and medical help. Medical bills can be daunting in old age. It is important to assess the financial health of the elderly, make provisions accordingly and ensure proper medical coverage. 

The elderly get easily stressed out when they look at the hospital bills. It is important to reassure them that the Insurance Company will pay for the expenses. This will give them some peace of mind in case of a medical emergency.

Get Professional Home Care

In case your parents are recuperating from an ailment or they need someone to take care of their needs since they cannot manage alone, it is best to look at professional home care options. 

Samvedna Care provides trained caregivers who can handle all their needs in the comfort of their home. It is reassuring for the family as well so that they have the flexibility to go out and manage other responsibilities, reassured that their parents are being taken care of. 

The caregivers can monitor the health vitals and give them their medicines on time. They can wheel them around in the wheelchair or assist them while walking. They can help them to bathe and eat their meals. In case of medical emergencies, they can handle it professionally. They can help them reach the hospital on time.

Ambulance Assist and Hospitalisation Support

In case of medical emergencies, time is of the essence and it would be important to reach the hospital on time. Samvedna Care provides ambulance assist services as an immediate response to an emergency call. 

They can render professional assistance in reaching the patient to the hospital, arranging the admission, managing the logistics and bill payments and informing the family.

Care Manager Support

Samvedna Care offers an elderly care package that includes a care manager who can make regular home visits to enquire about their needs, monitor their health vitals, and address their concerns. They facilitate the hospitalization process and provide emotional and logistic support.

Post Operative Care

Elderly people would need assistance to recuperate at home after a surgical procedure. It is best to provide them with medical home care services so that their needs can be handled professionally. 

Some major surgeries like hip or knee replacement or bypass surgery will require utmost professional care and nursing. It is better to leave this to 12/24 hour nurses who can manage the critical care under medical supervision.

Samvedna Care ensures that emergency services for the elderly are available to provide them with the support and care they need in times of medical emergency.

It is safe, convenient, professional and reassuring for the elderly as well as their families to know that they have someone they can trust in times of need.

Pandemic Precautions

During these uncertain times of the Covid-19 pandemic, it is of paramount importance that the elderly are prepared for medical emergencies. They need to take extra precautions like wearing masks and washing their hands regularly.

 It is better that they maintain social distance and do not entertain visitors at home because they are highly vulnerable.

It is important to assure the elderly that help is only a phone call away in case of a medical emergency. If you are a resident of Delhi, Gurgaon or Noida, you can count on Samvedna Care to assist you in case of medical emergencies.

The post How can senior citizens deal with medical emergencies? appeared first on Samvedna Senior Care.



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