New health center caters to seniors' needs. - Waco Tribune-Herald (Waco, TX)

Byline: Cindy V. Culp

Nov. 27--From the medical exams to the way the office is decorated, the Hillcrest Senior Health Center is designed to cater to people ages 55 and older.

The center, launched by Hillcrest Health System last month, is set up to provide a one-stop medical home for seniors. It is part of a comprehensive senior care initiative Hillcrest started this summer in response to the area's growing population of older residents, said David Argueta, a senior services manager for Hillcrest.

'We want to be at the forefront of taking care of the baby boomers,' Argueta said.

Hillcrest started the center because of persistent complaints by seniors who couldn't find a doctor who would accept Medicare, Argueta said. Even those who located a doctor often felt visits were rushed and didn't adequately address all their needs, which tend to be more complex than other patients, he said. In response, the system first hired a geriatrician, Dr. Sara George.

Hillcrest officials then looked at different models for building a senior center. They settled on a practice that conforms to all seven recommendations from the American Academy of Geriatrics about how such centers should be run.

One of the most important features of such a center is that it have a multidisciplinary approach. In Hillcrest's case, that means the center employs not only a geriatrician but also a nurse and social worker.

The clinic building housing the center also has a lab and X-ray facilities, and the center has access to personnel from other Hillcrest departments when needed, Argueta said. That gives seniors access to areas like dietary counseling and an outpatient psychiatric program, he said.

That interdisciplinary approach is key to making seniors well, especially since about 50 percent of their health-related problems have roots in social problems, George said. For example, they may miss crucial medical appointments for lack of transportation or they may stop taking their medication because they don't think they can afford it.

The center can help patients work through such problems in a variety of ways, George said. Sometimes all it takes is education, such as the social worker helping a patient pick a Medicare drug plan. Other times it means getting others involved in the problem, such as family members or local agencies that serve seniors, she said.

The center also is set up to look for age-related conditions that might be missed during a standard exam. For example, all new patients are screened for depression, memory problems and their risk of falling, George said.

Also, appointments are scheduled so George can spend a lot of time with each patient. First visits are always scheduled to last at least an hour and include interaction with both a social worker and George, she said.

The center also is designed to put seniors at ease, George said. Throughout the office are touches designed for older adults, such as a fireplace in the waiting room and lighting that is gentler on the eyes, she said.

Accessibility also is a key concern, George said. At the center, that's taken care of with hand rails and spacious bathrooms that easily accommodate wheelchairs. But it also means assuring that patients usually are able to get same- or next-day appointments, she said.

'We've even accommodated walk-ins,' George said.

For more information about the center or to ask questions, call 202-6500.

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