Long-term care facilities are surpassing hospitals as focus of healthcare for the elderly, according to an article on the New York Times.
The idea that a hospital is the best place for elderly patients still persists. Many still believe their aging relatives belong in a hospital when they’re ill, the article said.
But 20-plus years of research have documented the risks of hospitalization for older adults, particularly those frail or ill enough to need nursing home care.
In hospitals, the elderly more easily contract infections. They can lose functional abilities, including cognitive skills, that they may never regain, especially if they’re already sliding into dementia.
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