Patient Care and Positioning Adaptations for Elderly Patients

摘要

People 65 years and older constitute a significant portion of health care service users, including medical imaging and radiation therapy services; therefore, it is important that technologists be clinically competent with them. Being clinically competent begins with technologists recognizing and rejecting the stereotypes of what it means to be an elderly patient as well as their beliefs and feelings about elderly patients. Signs of ageism (ie, stereotyping and discriminating against older people) include assuming that all elderly patients are senile, stubborn, miserable, incapable of performing physical activities, and suffering from mental challenges related to the aging process, all without the benefit of first assessing them as individuals. Although these assumptions might be true for some elderly patients, they are not true for the majority. However, if individual assessment determines that extra care is needed, adaptations to typical work process should be made. This article provides tips for improving a technologist's competency when working with elderly patients including using communication, safety, and comfort tactics to ensure a seamless examination.