Abstract

The preventive behaviors of families and individuals engaged in providing elderly care are as crucial as the curative services provided by physicians and healthcare professionals. This study aims to identify the reasons for geriatric patients' visits to the emergency department and the factors influencing these visits. In this study, a survey comprising 14 questions was administered to physicians working in secondary and tertiary care and emergency medicine clinics in Ankara. The objective was to describe the demographic data of the physicians, the characteristics of geriatric patients in their units, and the conditions of geriatric patients at the time of admission. The data obtained were then evaluated. A total of 171 physicians participated in the study, 58.5% of whom were female, and 83.6% of whom were employed at a tertiary healthcare institution. The mean number of geriatric patients presenting to the emergency department was found to be 60.5. The most common reason for admission was infectious diseases, followed by respiratory diseases. Polypharmacy was frequently observed among the patients encountered, with nutrition problems, chronic diseases, and immobility emerging as significant risk factors. It was noted that 90.1% of the patients presented to emergency services late. The results of our study indicate that families and caregivers of patients frequently fail to recognize problems on time, which results in delayed presentations. It is postulated that education directed at families and individuals who provide care for the elderly could have a substantial impact on meeting the health needs of patients.

Key words: Geriatric, emergency, elderly care