A Bill of Rights for Hospitalized Older Adults

Area of Science:

• Geriatric Nursing
• Hospital Administration
• Patient Advocacy

Background:

• Acute-care hospitals often lack adequate structures, programs, and staff to meet the unique needs of older adult patients.
• Existing hospital frameworks may not sufficiently address the complexities of geriatric care, potentially compromising patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and describe the development and testing of a Bill of Rights for Hospitalized Older Adults.
• To establish specific knowledge, skills, and actions required for delivering quality care to elderly individuals in acute-care settings.

Main Methods:

• Development of a Bill of Rights by the Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing (including the Nurses Improving Care for Hospitalized Elders [NICHE] program) and the Coalition of Geriatric Nursing Organizations.
• Testing and refinement of the proposed Bill of Rights to ensure its applicability and effectiveness.

Main Results:

• The Bill of Rights progresses from general principles to concrete requirements for geriatric care.
• The developed framework provides specific guidance for healthcare professionals caring for hospitalized older adults.

Conclusions:

• The Bill of Rights for Hospitalized Older Adults offers a structured approach to improving geriatric care in hospitals.
• Adoption and dissemination of this Bill of Rights are recommended to enhance the quality of care for older adults during hospitalization.