Some residential care older persons could very well be living independently

A whole new statement by B.C.'s Seniors Advocate states lots of elderly seniors are living in residential care that could very well be living independently.

"If you aren't in need of that level of treatment, it's really a rather uninspiring experience to live in such a restricted community, that is things you need when you find yourself providing the safety for higher acute clients," mentioned Isobel Mackenzie.

Mackenzie unveiled the report, Placement, Drugs and Therapy... We Could Do Better, on Tuesday soon after critiquing health examination data from B.C.'s 25,000 seniors in residential care as well as 29,000 elderly people getting homecare.
The senior citizens advocate has worked in home based care for Two decades. She states up to Fifteen per-cent of B.C. seniors currently surviving in residential care tend to be inaccurately housed and should be given access to assisted residing or even community care.

Excessive medicine recommended

Mackenzie's report furthermore finds an excessive use of medications along with a deficiency of rehabilitation therapy in care amenities.

It states that 33 per-cent of residential care patients are being prescribed antipsychotic medication, yet just 4 per cent are diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder.

"This excessive use, or perhaps incorrect use, or even misalignment of prescription is definitely problematic whenever you have a look at 50 per cent of elderly people in residential care take 9 or more medications."

Likewise, up to 50 % of residential care clients are given by doctors antidepressant medication when only Twenty four percent have been diagnosed with depression.

Federal government not surprised by findings

B.C.'s Minister of Health Terry Lake states the provincial government is actually operating diligently to address these problems.

"We will work hard with various organizations which are in seniors' care to decrease the reliance on antipsychotics and prescription medicine generally.

"I think those are a couple of findings that aren't a real surprise to us and we'll be working on to address."

The Office of the Seniors Advocate will produce a extensive review of seniors' housing at the end of spring.