Brookdale Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, New York, New York.
J Am Geriatr Soc. 2014 Feb;62(2):365-70. doi: 10.1111/jgs.12646. Epub 2014 Jan 15.
Older adults who present to an emergency department (ED) generally have more-complex medical conditions with complicated care needs and are at high risk for preventable adverse outcomes during their ED visit. The Care and Respect for Elders with Emergencies (CARE) volunteer initiative is a geriatric-focused volunteer program developed to help prevent avoidable complications such as falls, delirium and use of restraints, and functional decline in vulnerable elders in the ED. The CARE program consists of bedside volunteer interventions ranging from conversation to various short activities designed to engage and reorient high-risk, older, unaccompanied individuals in the ED. This article describes the development and characteristics of the CARE program, the services provided, the experiences of the elderly patients and their volunteers, and the growth of the program over time. CARE volunteers provide elders with the additional attention needed in an often chaotic, unfamiliar environment by enhancing their care, improving satisfaction, and preventing potential decline.
老年人在到急诊科就诊时，通常具有更复杂的医疗状况和复杂的护理需求，并且在急诊科就诊期间存在可预防的不良后果的高风险。关爱急诊老年人志愿者倡议（CARE）是一个专注于老年病学的志愿者计划，旨在帮助预防可避免的并发症，如跌倒、谵妄和使用约束带，以及在急诊科脆弱的老年人中发生功能下降。CARE 计划包括床边志愿者干预，从对话到各种旨在吸引和重新定位高风险、年老、无人陪伴的急诊科个体的短活动。本文描述了 CARE 计划的发展和特点、提供的服务、老年患者及其志愿者的体验以及该计划随时间的增长。CARE 志愿者通过增强护理、提高满意度和预防潜在的下降，为经常处于混乱、陌生环境中的老年人提供了额外的关注。
