CARES Senior Health Clinic
Benefits Uninsured Seniors
By Caryl Melancon
It’s frightening. You’re
57 years old, uninsured, do not have Medicare or Medicaid and you
feel sick – really sick. What to do? Ignore it and maybe it will
go away or visit the nearest hospital emergency room? These are the
choices facing many older individuals. Choose to do nothing and
sometime later, you have an acute episode and an ambulance takes you
to the hospital after a 911 call.
The CARES Senior Health
Clinic in New Port Richey helps low income and uninsured seniors 55
years and older with limited medical care such as general physical
exams, limited primary treatment, monitoring of chronic illnesses,
counseling, and referrals. Some donated medications, lab services
and other specialty services, also, are offered. The goal is to help
patients manage their chronic conditions and avoid unnecessary use
of the hospital emergency room.
The seven volunteer
physicians, five volunteer nurses and one staff nurse treat 331
patients who make 1,602 visits to the clinic mostly for their
diabetes, hypertension, COPD or depression. All the volunteer
physicians and nurses have sovereign immunity through the state.
Since the volunteer physicians are retired they can treat patients
during daylight hours. This is important in terms of patient access
to care. Many patients can only drive during the day or have to
rely on public transportation.
“Over 28% of the population
in Pasco and Pinellas counties is age 60 or older. According to the
Administration on Aging, older Americans are disproportionately
affected by chronic diseases. With seven out of ten deaths
attributed to a chronic disease, it is essential programs in our
community increase access to health care and provide disease and
disability prevention education. CARES is active in both areas. The
Area Agency will continue to support programs which encourage
seniors to develop and maintain healthy lifestyles, so they may lead
independent lives”, Sally Gronda, Executive Director of the Area
Agency on Aging comments.
For more information,
contact Lee Fenton or Pam Healey at CARES Senior Health Clinic,
727-844-3077
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