Geriatrics Department - Tay Ninh Province Traditional Medicine Hospital: A new "home" for elderly patients

Elderly people receive centralized health care

At Tay Ninh Provincial Traditional Medicine Hospital, the Geriatrics Department is a clinical department that treats diseases for the elderly. In particular, the Department actively and comprehensively treats acute and chronic diseases, combining traditional medicine - modern medicine and rehabilitation, disease control and related risks; performs psychotherapy, nutritional care, basic care, and community reintegration.

The department also performs rehabilitation to limit physical, cognitive and behavioral disabilities, especially after the acute phase, rehabilitation of post-stroke sequelae to prevent dependence; maintain or restore the ability to live independently, social integration of the elderly, and improve disease prevention for the elderly.

The nurse took the patient to the department.

In addition, the Department of Scientific Research applies scientific research to disease prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation; approaches and evaluates patients comprehensively to ensure that patients receive care and treatment for multiple diseases, while providing treatment and guidance on health care for patients and their families.

The subjects treated at the department are the elderly with many chronic diseases that need to be treated at the same time, with typical geriatric syndromes such as vulnerability syndrome, dementia, malnutrition, decreased functional activity, confusion, depression, and risk of stroke; elderly patients needing palliative care, care and treatment of disease sequelae.

According to Dr. CKII Vo Thanh Long - Director of the Hospital, the predecessor of the Geriatric Department was the Department of Emergency Resuscitation. However, due to the characteristics of the hospital specializing in receiving and treating chronic diseases, the need for emergency care was not high, the Department of Emergency Resuscitation was not effective with the hospital's operating model, so it was reduced to an Emergency Room to perform tasks when the disease became severe and was transferred. The Geriatric Department was established and operated with functions and tasks according to the regulations of the Ministry of Health .

Doctor Kim Nhung examines a patient.

According to Dr. Vo Thanh Long, patients who come to the hospital are mainly for rehabilitation treatment, including many elderly patients, so the establishment of the Geriatric Department is to meet the actual needs. Previously, elderly patients were admitted and treated in the elderly ward in the clinical departments, of course, so they would not receive good treatment.

When it was first established, the Geriatric Department of the Traditional Medicine Hospital had 20 beds to receive patients, 3 doctors in charge and centralized medical equipment to serve the specialty. “The operation of the Geriatric Department has created more favorable conditions for patient care, especially better care for the elderly because these patients are more susceptible to illness. Elderly patients, in addition to their main illness, often have other illnesses, so the Geriatric Department will be treated centrally to be able to provide the best care for elderly patients,” shared Dr. Vo Thanh Long.

According to the report on the implementation of the Law on the Elderly and policies for the elderly in 2024, the Traditional Medicine Hospital has received 214 hospitalizations with a total of more than 4,300 days of treatment. The hospital has performed more than 2,500 acupuncture sessions and more than 8,300 rehabilitation, physical therapy and traditional medicine methods. The Geriatric Department of the Provincial Traditional Medicine Hospital has received and treated the elderly with traditional medicine methods such as acupuncture, rehabilitation and physical therapy. In the first quarter of 2025, the Department achieved over 200% of the set targets for the number of acupuncture sessions and the number of rehabilitation and physical therapy sessions.

Friendly and efficient

Mr. Vu Nghi, 77 years old, residing in Binh Minh commune, Tay Ninh city, has been treated at the Geriatric Department of the Provincial Traditional Medicine Hospital for a month. He said that before being admitted to the hospital, he could not walk and had to rely on relatives for his personal activities. Now, after a month of treatment, using traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture and physical therapy, he can do personal activities, eat and walk again. "I am much healthier, so my family has less trouble," Mr. Vu Nghi shared.

For over a year now, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Tam, 75 years old, residing in Trang Bang town, has considered the hospital, the Geriatric Department, as his home. Mr. Tam has suffered from polyarthritis for a long time, and thanks to an acquaintance's introduction, he came to the hospital for treatment. Up to now, Mr. Tam has considered this as his second home because of the comfortable space and the attentive and thoughtful care.

As the ones who directly care for the elderly at the department, the team of doctors and nurses are always dedicated and devoted to the patients. Doctor CKI General Internal Medicine Dang Kim Nhung - Head of the Geriatrics Department shared that because the elderly are more difficult, everyone is always gentle and soft with patients when approaching and performing treatment. To meet the requirements of the job, Doctor Nhung as well as the staff of the Department are regularly trained to improve their expertise and learn more about rehabilitation to serve patients. Doctor Nhung added: "Many patients choose to return to the hospital for treatment, creating close relationships between us and the patients. Everyone here is always happy to support each other to work effectively."

Doctor Nguyen Vo Danh Y, working at the department, said: “Recently, a patient suffered from complications of diabetes that caused his eyelids to droop and his eyes to not open. According to our assessment, this disease requires long-term treatment, from 6 months or more. However, after nearly two months of treatment at the department, the disease improved rapidly, the patient was able to open his eyes, so he was very happy. For us, treating the patient to recover quickly, recover and improve well, and be able to walk soon is a great joy.”

Nurse Nguyen Kim Anh said: “Caring for elderly patients requires appropriate methods to help them stay healthy and happy. At the Department, patients often stay in bed for long periods of time, so I consider them as relatives and take good care of them.” According to Ms. Kim Anh, sometimes the pain makes patients uncomfortable, even scolding them, but after they recover, they become gentle, happy and friendly, so everyone does not feel sad but instead has more motivation to work.

Ngo Tuyet

Source: https://baotayninh.vn/-ngoi-nha-moi-cho-benh-nhan-cao-tuoi-a188788.html