Putting the Pieces Together
The 3 most common chronic conditions to plague seniors in assisted living are Alzheimer’s, high blood pressure and heart disease. While 82% of this highly vulnerable population suffers from at least one of these three, there is growing concern about the common overlap of these diseases and the medical treatment they require. Looking at the entire picture and coordinating care for the elderly with these multiple conditions can be complicated as treatment plans oftentimes conflict. For example: utilizing diuretics to lower blood pressure increases the need to urinate, while many dementia patients are already incontinent; or what to do for the 14% who have high blood pressure and heart disease – when individuals with heart failure cannot take many meds for high blood pressure… With a rising number of seniors with these intersecting ailments – there is an increasing need to focus on this challenge and figure out how to provide integrated care that’s all-encompassing and doesn’t just target each issue separately.
