Melissa Burden The Detroit News
When 85-year-old Aloysius "Al" Boroniec fell twice in a matter of weeks, he found treatment for his injuries in a different kind of emergency room — one that caters specifically to the needs of seniors.
The six-bed senior emergency room at St. Mary Mercy Livonia Hospital includes everything from padded mattresses and non-glare flooring to a consultation with a senior ER social worker.
"It's just been a wonderful experience," said Boroniec of Livonia. "This is very efficient. In a reasonable time the doctor was with you and took care of you.
"Before you leave, they explain everything to you, what to do to take care of yourself, when to come back."
Saint Joseph Mercy Health System, which will have eight senior emergency rooms open in southeast Michigan by year's end, is not the only health system adapting to meet the needs of a growing elderly population. That population is expected to jump from about 567,000 in 2000 to nearly 1.2 million by 2035, according to the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments.
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