At a certain point, humans who are lucky enough to make it to old age transition out of what we often call “preventative care.” Lifestyle adjustments that are designed to maintain their good health. People in the final stage of life develop chronic conditions from which there is no return.

Medical professionals caring for them focus on the quality of life over improvement—which is often minimal if it is possible at all.

Unfortunately, quality is not the only factor that goes into determining how this care is administered. In this article, we will take a look at what geriatric care looks like in the modern landscape.

The Money Problem

When discussing healthcare in the United States, no consideration is quite so impactful as price. Even regular medical treatment can be extremely cost-prohibitive. People go into bankruptcy trying to pay for necessary care.

When it comes to geriatric care, everything becomes considerably more expensive. It’s sometimes said that a person spends more on healthcare the last few days of their life than they did for every year that came before it—combined.

The older a person gets the more complex, and consequently, more expensive, their care requirements become.

People are legally entitled to some care. In the case where home health treatment or private facilities are not possible, this takes the form of state-run homes. Better than nothing? Sure, but not ideal.

And medical costs increase every year. It’s difficult to imagine what the financial realities of elder care will look like fifty years from now. However, it is fair to say that the future of care will be heavily influenced by price.

Most probably, that will mean that a relatively small segment of the population will wind up with access to home healthcare professionals.

Still, there are other developments that help aging adults stay safe at home.

Wearable Health Technology

Wearable devices feed data constantly to compatible software. They are powered by what is called IoT (internet of things) technology. Bluetooth-powered devices that connect physical items to the internet.

Wearable devices can include anything from glucose monitoring systems to heart monitors, and many things in between. They make it easier to keep track of your health from home. A fitness tracker is a very simple version of wearable health technology.

These devices are particularly impactful for older patients because:

• They give doctors more information to work with. Instead of feeling around in the dark with appointments every couple of months, care providers can receive fresh updates every day.
• They cut back on the need for appointments. It can be very difficult for older patients to get to the doctor regularly. With insights delivered directly to the doctor’s computer, the patient doesn’t need to come in to get medical insights.
• Early detection. The big benefit. Wearable devices catch conditions before they snowball, potentially helping older patients increase their life expectancy.

These devices aren’t as accurate as the ones you might encounter on a hospital floor. One issue is that they are handled by the patients themselves—someone who may be more prone to making mistakes than a trained nurse might be. Still, they compensate through the quantity of information. More insights which can be used to initiate deeper analysis when necessary.

Telehealth

Telehealth technology involves any software or physical device that allows patients to communicate remotely with their healthcare providers. A common example is MyChart. MyChart is one of many software programs that compiles patient records and allows them to ask questions of their provider directly on the app.

This technology pairs particularly well with wearable devices. The physician might take in insights they received from the device and say, “Hey, your blood pressure is a little higher than usual lately. Have there been any recent changes to your lifestyle?”

Once again, the big benefit is that older patients—or anyone who doesn’t want to spend an hour in the waiting room just to ask a single question—can handle their health-related needs more effectively.

Mobile Health Clinics

Mobile health clinics usually consist of converted sprinter vans, or even recreational vehicles that have been retrofitted with with healthcare equipment. They are flexible and can be brought directly to the patient. No, you probably don’t want to have your knee replaced in one of them, but if you need a general checkup and don’t have easy access to transportation, it’s a great option.

For elderly patients, these can be particularly helpful. People under the category of “fall risk,” put their health and safety on the line every time they leave the house. If they can get medical treatment at home it’s definitely for the better.

Care Providers

There are many different categories of care providers for elderly patients. Many home healthcare workers—or even people working at hospitals/nursing homes, are not registered nurses, but technicians with an associate’s degree in healthcare.

Those who are interested in playing a more instrumental role in patient care should consider becoming a nurse.

There are several specialized certifications or advanced degrees that focus specifically on care for older patients. For example, gerontology nurse practitioners help keep patients comfortable during the final months and years of their lives.

Often this involves working directly in the patient’s home, developing close ties with them as a result.

Nurse practitioners do need to get a master’s degree, but for their effort, they have the opportunity to work in an exciting and rewarding career path.

Conclusion

While there are many things to be unhappy about with modern healthcare, it is safe to say that geriatric patients have more autonomy than ever before. The technologies we have described in this article are no substitute for affordable, comprehensive healthcare, but they do give patients more information and control.

It’s also important to keep in mind that all of the resources we described above are relatively new. Who knows what will be available in the coming years?

Interested in working with older patients but don’t think nursing is right for you? There are many other careers that allow you to play a pivotal role in elder care. Social workers often help connect older people with necessary services, even helping them get medications, and making their appointments.

It’s a great career for people who want to make a positive difference without working as a doctor or nurse.

With a Bachelor’s in Health Science along with an MBA, Sarah Daren has a wealth of knowledge within both the health and business sectors. Her expertise in scaling and identifying ways tech can improve the lives of others has led Sarah to be a consultant for a number of startup businesses, most prominently in the wellness industry, wearable technology and health education. She implements her health knowledge into every aspect of her life with a focus on making America a healthier and safer place for future generations to come.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.