#74 - Barriers to Care in the Senior Population

There are a number of barriers or other post-injury factors that may impede recovery in the older adult population.

The first is insurance.

Their insurance may limit providers they can see and the number of visits, which may require out of pocket costs. Think about who you want to refer to and whether those providers see older adults and accept their insurance.

The next barrier is transportation.

Does the patient drive? If not, are they able to get a ride to appointments?

Another barrier is the tendency for this population not to self-advocate.

You may need to take a more active role in this area and facilitate communication with other treatment providers.

Another factor is the patient may have other medical conditions that impede the recovery model.

Older adults may have orthopedic conditions that may limit their ability to get physically active. They may also be in treatment for other conditions that are stressful or time-consuming, which may limit their ability to initiate your recommended treatments.

Another barrier may be lack of education about the course of treatment.

Sometimes older adults have a tendency to not want to ask questions. So make sure they understand your recommendations.

And finally, the role of mood and anxiety.

Many older adults have a tendency to not report affective symptoms due to concerns about stigma. However, many of them do have fear of sustaining another injury, particularly falling again.

Learn more about providing concussion care to older adults and seniors in this online guide.