People living with dementia often end up in the emergency room for behavioral issues. And because most ERs are not equipped to care for this population, that individual may be forced to wait hours for care. It’s called ER boarding.
Hospitals are struggling with ER boarding due to a decrease in options for patients seeking care outside of ERs. Hospitals are also prioritizing beds for procedures with higher insurance payments.
The result, according to experts, is a worsening situation as the population ages, and the number of older adults with dementia increases, potentially outpacing hospital bed capacity. Roughly 1 million Americans a year are expected to develop dementia by 2060. That’s about double what was previously thought.
And for people living with dementia, a long ER stay can be dangerous since that could lead to a higher risk of developing delirium — a temporary state of mental confusion and sometimes hallucinations.
