Watch CBS News

St. Mary Mercy Livonia: A Leader In Senior Care

The following is a paid message from St. Mary Mercy Livonia

The state of Michigan's first Senior Emergency Room is about to celebrate its first anniversary. St. Mary Mercy Hospital in Livonia opened a Senior ER in July 2010, answering the needs of an aging population and enhancing their care experience. St. Mary Mercy's Senior ER is one of eight Senior ER locations within the Saint Joseph Mercy Health System. Other Saint Joseph Mercy Health System Senior ER locations include Ann Arbor, Brighton, Chelsea, Pontiac, Port Huron and Saline.

Why a Senior ER?  Between 2000 and 2035, the number of people age 65+ per household is projected to increase from 22 to 39 percent.  Consumer

_BTW0622
credit: St. Mary Mercy Livonia

research conducted with over 300 seniors and caregivers showed extremely positive reactions to the Senior ER concept developed by Saint Joseph Mercy Health System.  The research also indicated that 85 percent of seniors and 91 percent of caregivers desired a specialized emergency care experience.

What is a Senior ER?  The Senior ER combines senior-friendly physical features with an evidence-based approach to emergency care for seniors aged 65 and older.

When a senior arrives at one of the hospitals, a multidisciplinary team performs a series of assessments of the patient's medications, functional status, dementia, depression, and delirium, cognitive status and risk level, in addition to addressing the patient's primary medical complaint.  All seniors receive special emergency care.  Seniors also receive pharmacy and social work consultations to assist them and their caregivers to develop care plans upon leaving the hospital.  This model fosters a caring and safe environment specific to the complex needs of non-acute senior patients, providing them a comprehensive continuum of care.

The emergency care team includes Registered Nurses who have completed Geriatric Emergency Nursing Education (GENE) through the Emergency Nurses Association, physicians who have specialized knowledge in the care of seniors, pharmacists to review medications, and a licensed social worker to discuss care options and screenings with both the patient and caregiver.  Technicians and clerks are also geriatric-trained.

Private patient rooms were scientifically designed to increase communication, safety and comfort, while reducing anxiety, confusion, and the risk of falling.  Amenities include pressure-reducing mattresses to minimize soreness during longer stays, soft lighting, noise buffers, reclining chairs, large-print charts and discharge papers, oversized clocks, large print way-finding signage, and non-slip / non-glare floors.  Additionally, items frequently forgotten when a patient is rushed to the Emergency Department are provided, such as reading glasses and hearing enhancement technology.

No other emergency department in the state offers the same level of specialized care as with the Saint Joseph Mercy Health System Senior ERs.  Since its opening, St. Mary Mercy Livonia has had extremely favorable responses from patients, caregivers, families, physicians and staff.

St. Mary Mercy Livonia is a full service 304-bed acute care hospital that provides comprehensive care, including a 24-hour emergency department, general medicine, inpatient and outpatient surgery, physical medicine and rehabilitation, intensive care unit, cancer, cardiology, geriatrics and birthing and women's services.  To learn more about the Senior ERs at Saint Joseph Mercy Health System, visit www.stjoeshealth.org or to contact the St. Mary Mercy Senior ER, call 734-655-2527.

The preceding content was sponsored by St. Mary Mercy Livonia. To find out how you can sponsor content in the Caregiver Resource Guide, call Maria Marcantonio at (248) 455-7341.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.