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Covid: the geriatrician is present only in one Rsa out of 10, but has an essential role

2021-02-09T15:10:19.835Z


Only one RSA out of 10 can rely on a stable figure of the geriatrician, or the doctor specialized in the care of the elderly. Some even lack a night nurse, and in general there is a large disparity in care between regions. (HANDLE)


Only one RSA out of 10 can rely on a stable figure of the geriatrician, or the doctor specialized in the care of the elderly.

Some even lack a night nurse, and in general there is a large disparity in care between regions.

The pandemic has highlighted the critical situation faced by many of the 7,000 nursing homes for the elderly in the area and which house around 300,000 people.

Francesco Landi, newly elected president of the Italian Society of Geriatrics and Gerontology (Sigg), focuses attention on the places to which we entrust our elders and where the deaths from Covid-19 in the first wave of the pandemic have been concentrated.


    One of the paradoxes of these structures, observes Landi, director of the UOC of Geriatrics at the Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome, is that the figure of the geriatrician "is not included among the organizational requirements for the accreditation of the RSA and there are few regions that predict in a binding manner. Consequently, this figure is present in a stable manner in just 10% ".

The pandemic has shown that, starting from here, it is necessary to "reorganize the entire assistance system in RSA, providing for adequate and uniform standards, quality controls that take into account all aspects and promotion of best practices".


    Not only in the RSA, but also outside, the elderly are paying, and not only in terms of lives, the highest cost for the Covid pandemic.

"The need to reduce social interactions - explains Landi - has had a negative impact on health but also on mood and sometimes on cognitive abilities.


    Domestic isolation has led to a strong reduction in physical activity with negative consequences especially in those suffering from osteoporosis, arthrosis, Parkinson's, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases ".

From a psychological point of view, moreover, "the elderly can have a more acute perception of the distance from their loved ones, linked to a more restricted perspective of the future".

Finally, the fear of contracting the infection has often caused a slowdown in checks and treatments for other diseases, which has affected the increase in mortality.

"This aspect - underlines the expert - is well documented for heart, lung, stroke and diabetes". 


Source: ansa

All life articles on 2021-02-09

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