5 Factors A Medical Transport Company Must Consider When Conveying Alzheimer’s Patients
Transporting Alzheimer’s patients is no easy task. They are forgetful and lose track of where they are going. This calls for extra care and support. As a loved one, you may have other engagements which might stop you from accompanying a patient for a doctor’s appointment.
Fortunately, numerous medical transport companies across the United States have the skill and experience needed to convey Alzheimer’s patients. Below are some of the considerations medical transport companies make when transporting people living with dementia.
1. Fatigue and Anxiety
Most trips to medical facilities are long-distance and it is easy to get fatigued before you get to your destination. Keeping this in mind, medical transport firms have trained their staff to deal with fatigue.
Alzheimer’s patients are also likely to get anxious and nervous being on the road for an extended period. The presence of a staff who has is skilled in handling the emotional needs of the passenger is what sets a medical transport company apart from its competition.
2. Rest stops
The urge to void the bladder is a common concern in long-distance medical transport. Hence, firms handling transportation of dementia patients must make accommodations for toilet stops during the journey to the hospital.
People living with Alzheimer’s disease often tend to be forgetful of where they are or the vehicle they came in. They may even not recognize a loved one, not to mention a staff who has spent only a few hours with them. Medical transport companies ensure that dementia patients are accompanied to the bathroom when the need arises.
3. Dietary intake and restrictions
Many people living with Alzheimer’s disease fall into the elderly population and they are often burdened with other chronic diseases like hypertension and diabetes. Thus, they are restricted from taking certain foods to prevent complications.
For instance, diabetic patients are advised not to take sugary meals, else their fasting blood sugar may spike up, leading to serious consequences. A medical transport company would get information like the abovementioned during the paperwork. In addition, the staff escorting your loved one has been informed beforehand about such medical conditions.
4. Medical needs
Alzheimer’s patients depend on medications to improve their quality of life and slow down the progression of the illness. Missing a schedule for drug intake may be detrimental to their health. However, these patients are known to forget obvious details about their lives including drug intake.
Therefore, loved ones should ensure they inform medical transport companies about the patient’s medical condition and needs. Some patients may need supplemental oxygen. Fortunately, most non-emergency medical transport vehicles are equipped with state-of-the-art mechanical ventilators, should the need arise.
5. Emergencies
Most long-distance medical transportation comes with emerging risks. There is a possibility that the patients might develop a medical condition that requires urgent medical attention. At this point, the question about whether a medical transport company is competent enough to manage emergency cases needs a glaring answer.
A reliable medical transport firm trains its staff on basic first aid care and equips their vehicles with basic emergency kits, especially for long-distance medical transportation. Proper handling of emergencies is necessary for Alzheimer’s patients, who are at increased risks of falls and trauma.
Bottom line
A medical transport company must put plans in place for medical needs, rest stops, and dietary restrictions before conveying an Alzheimer’s patient. Emergencies may also arise and the likelihood of fatigue and anxiety increases with a long-distance trip to the hospital. These other considerations must be made before conveying a person living with Alzheimer’s disease.
