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Dealing with Agitation While Transporting Your Senior

Following are a few tips on how to deal with older people who might be feeling grumpy when being transported in a medical van. Remember to care for the elderly with grace and love as they need respect. Basically, treat them as you would want to be treated when you get old.

Be Caring and Respectful:

Do not "boss" senior citizens around. Be very careful and let them retain their independence, at least as much as they can. The ride will become less of a stress for the patient and for the assistants if the patient is given the freedom to do some things his/her way. It's also important to listen to them and try to pick up on ways to help them without really offending them. Remember that pride may not let them feel comfortable when asking for help.

Keep it Safe:

Safety of the patient is extremely important. Travel for older people must be planned carefully. All pre-existing medical conditions should be well managed. The medical transportation vehicle should be equipped with all regular medication to last the whole trip. Obesity, coronary heart disease, and sitting for too long are known risk factors that tend to develop blood clots in the veins of the legs. Hence, the seats must be comfortable with enough leg space for the senior to stretch his/her body time to time.

Ensure Timely Transfers:

Making elderly wait for too long to be transported can also agitate them and make them cranky. The drivers should make sure they pick the person up on time and deliver them to the destination without hassle. Medical transportation vans must use GPS to ensure timely arrival and departure. Also, the drivers should realize that old people have fragile bodies and therefore require smooth transfer.

The right van for senior citizens:

  • The patient should feel secure when boarding the vehicle. Each van should be cleaned and maintained regularly to offer the best possible safety, experience, and comfort for both the senior and caregivers.
  • Also, patients that have problem walking without help should be offered wheelchair vans equipped and designed to transport disabled persons. The van must feature safety straps, a power lift, and lap belts to maintain optimum level of comfort and safety for the patient. For patients that can walk on their own, the vans must offer reliable and safe transportation. Also, there must be proper climate control system installed inside the vehicle to ensure a stable atmosphere. Old people cannot tolerate extreme temperatures. Proper air conditioning/heating ensures that they remain calm.
  • Another way of making the journey comfortable for the senior is by providing them with easy modes of payment. The company must offer the flexibility of paying through credit cards. There should also be the facility of online booking. Going through the hassle of carrying cash can confuse and irritate several people.

Elderly care basically involves fulfilling special requirements and needs that are unique to the old person. This term encompasses services such as medical transportation, offering proper equipment when travelling, nursing, and the like. The staff responsible for offering such services is pre-trained in handling older people in a loving and professional manner. They are taught to be patient and understanding when the patient is grumpy or irritable. They also know how to comfort the individual and make him/her feel secure. Hence, when the need for transporting senior citizens arises it is best to depend on professionals, for a comfortable trip. It is also good to prepare the senior beforehand about the upcoming trip so that there are no hidden surprises.

Tags: senior transportation – wheelchair vans