The pressing need for a separate waiting area for elderly patients in the emergency department of University Hospital Kerry has this week been highlighted, in no nonsense fashion, at a meeting of Kerry County Council.
Cllr Angie Baily said approximately 70 per cent of patients in the hospital are over the age of 65, with nearly 80 per cent of those entering through the accident and emergency unit.
“These individuals, many of whom are vulnerable, deserve a space that ensures their dignity, comfort and safety during what is often a stressful and traumatic time,” she said.
Cllr Baily said studies have shown that older patients experience specific challenges when navigating the department and a thematic analysis of patient feedback from 4,442 elderly patients revealed that long waiting times, lack of communication and inadequate privacy are major concerns.
She said 55.9 per cent of elderly patients reported waiting between six and 24 hours for admission.
“This is your mom, your grandfather, someone you love. The environment in the waiting room, at best, can be described as unfavourable with dirty floors, unhygienic bathrooms, lack of personal care, lack of appropriate food and lack of physical and auditory privacy,” Cllr Baily claimed.
She added that there are also poor seating arrangements, often on hard chairs, or patients are lying on trolleys in overcrowded hospital corridors.
“Pepper this with unsavoury characters who are drunk, high on drugs and/or rowdy and we have the perfect recipe for disaster. This situation is not only distressing but wholly unacceptable for our elderly citizens,” the Fine Gael councillor stated.
She said while triage seems to work seamlessly in the emergency department, the waiting times are divided into three separate areas – waiting to see a doctor after triage, results after the doctor and waiting on a hospital bed.
“As a council, we have the power to advocate for a solution. A separate waiting area, specifically designed for older patients, could provide a simple yet effective solution,” Cllr Baily maintained.
It could include comfortable seating, blankets, a radio and basic amenities such as a kettle for tea and reading materials in large print, she added.
“While this may seem like a small gesture, it would mean a world of difference to those waiting in discomfort for long periods,” she stated.
Cllr Baily told the meeting that if a separate space cannot be established, another solution could involve diverting non-emergency cases – particularly those involving drink and drug-related incidents – away from the general emergency department to preserve a calmer and safer environment for elderly patients.
“This is not merely about making the emergency department more comfortable. It’s about offering our elderly population the respect, care and consideration they deserve when seeking medical assistance.
“Let us lead by example and support the creation of a separate waiting area for our elderly patients at UHK,” Cllr Baily said.
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