2/3 Hospitals not seniorproof

45 hospitals get the new label senior friendly hospital. Several elderly organizations joined forces to develop the new label. 130 hospitals were submitted to the test.Of all people over 70 that are admitted to a hospital one out of three comes out looking worse than when they went in. Not so much in terms of aggravation of the disease, but for example, loss of functions by falls or malnutrition. This data, from a report by doctors organization KNMG about care for frail elderly, led the senior citizens to develop the new marking system.

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Starting October 1st at 10:30 people can go to the website seniorvriendelijkziekenhuis.nl to see how qualified hospitals score on fifteen different criteria. To qualify for the label, a hospital should at least have a special geriatric team and score at least 75 percent on a minimum of seven other points.

Undercover elderly were sent out to check the quality. Seventy senior scouts visited hospitals in pairs to map the physical environment. Among other things, they assessed the signage in the hospital and the communication of care after discharge.

Trudy Heldens (67) was one of the senior scouts. She would first call the reception of the hospital to ask if all the tests could be done the same day.

In teams of two scouts then went exploring in the hospital itself. Heldens visited six hospitals. All hospitals, to some extent, have facilities for the elderly, but according to Heldens there is still plenty to improve. Not every hospital has a geriatric team and the accessibility of the disabled restrooms still leaves much to be desired.

This weekend, studies from the NOS showed that waiting time in hospitals increase for care mainly needed by elderly.