Mon, 28 March, 2011 6:11:22PARIPAAKAM- Health care for the elderly
From: Dr.GopinathView Contact
To: paripaakam@googlegroups.com
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THE HINDU / Monday, Mar 28, 2011
Tackling healthcare needs of the elderly
Staff Reporter
Vayomithram' project to get 24-hour helpline soon
Project being implemented in all Corporations
Mobile health clinic operational
Thiruvananthapuram: Accessing healthcare and hospitals is one of the major problems faced by the elderly. Despite the availability of free healthcare, the elderly often find it difficult to get to the hospital because of limited mobility and lack of support systems.
A scheme to provide medical care to the elderly at the doorstep, started off by the government a month ago, has thus emerged as a major relief to many who are either confined to their homes or who do not have anybody to take them to the hospital.
‘Vayomithram,' a project of Kerala Social Security Mission, intends to reach medical care to those above 65 years of age through a 24-hour helpline. The project which is being implemented in all Corporations and select municipalities in the State, has been generating good response in the city.
“The project has three components. One is the setting up of a 24-hour help desk and toll-free help line, which the elderly can call if they require some emergency medical need. The other two components are palliative-care home visits and setting up of mobile health clinics,” G. Sunilkumar, the District Programme Manager of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), who is also the district nodal officer for ‘Vayomithram,' said.
The palliative-care home visits and mobile health clinics on pre-fixed days are going on well.The toll-free phone line and the 24-hour help desk are in the process of being set up, inside the City Corporation office itself. These will be manned by three counsellors. An ambulance has also been readied.
The NRHM has deployed Junior Public Health Nurses (JPHNs) within the Corporation area, who, with the help of Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), are being engaged in a survey of the elderly above 65 years in the Corporation area. “Right now, we are focussing on the 30-odd slum colonies in the Corporation area, where there are many elderly with serious morbidities. We already have taken a list of those above 65 years in these colonies and who requires what kind of services from us. Our mobile clinic team, consisting of one doctor and a nurse-midwife has been regularly attending to about 60 patients,” Dr. Sunilkumar said.
The mobile clinic is now being run four days a week on a fixed schedule and route. The ASHAs in the locality will bring the elderly patients to the clinic. Palliative care teams under NRHM are regularly servicing 18 locations in rural areas. The Social Security Mission has already handed over Rs.5 lakh for the project for the first three months.
Diabetes and hypertension seem to be the most common problems among the elderly, Dr. Sunilkumar said. Providing drugs regularly to those who require it has thus turned out to be a much bigger issue.
“We are collecting free drug samples from physicians towards a common pool. We would like to appeal to doctors, pharmacies and organisations to help us out in this regard,” he added.
Till the toll-free line is set up, Dr. Sunilkumar may be contacted on 99461 05471, if any person above 65 years need assistance for hospital visit.
From: Dr.Gopinath
To: paripaakam@googlegroups.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE HINDU / Monday, Mar 28, 2011
Tackling healthcare needs of the elderly
Staff Reporter
Vayomithram' project to get 24-hour helpline soon
Project being implemented in all Corporations
Mobile health clinic operational
Thiruvananthapuram: Accessing healthcare and hospitals is one of the major problems faced by the elderly. Despite the availability of free healthcare, the elderly often find it difficult to get to the hospital because of limited mobility and lack of support systems.
A scheme to provide medical care to the elderly at the doorstep, started off by the government a month ago, has thus emerged as a major relief to many who are either confined to their homes or who do not have anybody to take them to the hospital.
‘Vayomithram,' a project of Kerala Social Security Mission, intends to reach medical care to those above 65 years of age through a 24-hour helpline. The project which is being implemented in all Corporations and select municipalities in the State, has been generating good response in the city.
“The project has three components. One is the setting up of a 24-hour help desk and toll-free help line, which the elderly can call if they require some emergency medical need. The other two components are palliative-care home visits and setting up of mobile health clinics,” G. Sunilkumar, the District Programme Manager of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), who is also the district nodal officer for ‘Vayomithram,' said.
The palliative-care home visits and mobile health clinics on pre-fixed days are going on well.The toll-free phone line and the 24-hour help desk are in the process of being set up, inside the City Corporation office itself. These will be manned by three counsellors. An ambulance has also been readied.
The NRHM has deployed Junior Public Health Nurses (JPHNs) within the Corporation area, who, with the help of Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), are being engaged in a survey of the elderly above 65 years in the Corporation area. “Right now, we are focussing on the 30-odd slum colonies in the Corporation area, where there are many elderly with serious morbidities. We already have taken a list of those above 65 years in these colonies and who requires what kind of services from us. Our mobile clinic team, consisting of one doctor and a nurse-midwife has been regularly attending to about 60 patients,” Dr. Sunilkumar said.
The mobile clinic is now being run four days a week on a fixed schedule and route. The ASHAs in the locality will bring the elderly patients to the clinic. Palliative care teams under NRHM are regularly servicing 18 locations in rural areas. The Social Security Mission has already handed over Rs.5 lakh for the project for the first three months.
Diabetes and hypertension seem to be the most common problems among the elderly, Dr. Sunilkumar said. Providing drugs regularly to those who require it has thus turned out to be a much bigger issue.
“We are collecting free drug samples from physicians towards a common pool. We would like to appeal to doctors, pharmacies and organisations to help us out in this regard,” he added.
Till the toll-free line is set up, Dr. Sunilkumar may be contacted on 99461 05471, if any person above 65 years need assistance for hospital visit.
