At Columbus, Ohio, hospitals, nurses, social workers, case managers, therapists and geriatricians are working more closely in the emergency department to make sure the needs of older adults are being met, according to an article on the Columbus Dispatch website.
ERs are now including geriatric-friendly features such as clocks with big numbers and thick mattresses.
More hospitals also are creating specialized units for seniors who receive in-patient treatment, the article said.
Such units feature specialized beds to prevent bed sores. The beds have alarms to alert staff when patients try to get out of bed.