Apollo Hospitals has now launched exclusive care facilities for the elderly called `Geriatric Clinics’.
Dadasaheb Phalke award winner and reputed Telugu film director, K Viswanadh inaugurated the first such Clinic at its Jubilee Hills hospital today. It will provide a comprehensive suite of services from consultancy to diagnosis and customised care.
The dedicated Geriatric Care centre will have four zones - Out-Patient Care, In-Patient Care, Emergency Care and Home Health Care. It will offer physical, cognitive and psycho-social assessment, a personal care plan, recommendations to improve health and functional ability, rehabilitation, safe use of medicines and will address home and emergency care for the elderly, said Sangita Reddy, Jt Managing Director.
Starting from the pilot in Hyderabad, Apollo plans to take the concept to Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai, Kolkata and Bengaluru in the next couple of months. In the long run it could cover most of the 60 hospitals of the Group across the country. Since they will be within the existing hospitals, the investment involved will be essentially on specialised human resources and knowledge, said Hari Prasad, President of the Hospital
About 8 per cent of India’s population were aged 65 and above, as of 2014 . This number is expected to grow up to 20 per cent by 2050, when the country’s population is project to be over 1.5 billion. The aim of the Apollo Group to be well prepared to providing the right care for healthy ageing and living, he told media persons.
Speaking on the importance and need of such Clinics, K Viswanadh said with children going abroad to explore opportunities and grow their career, the elderly people are left to fend for themselves at an age when they are vulnerable and need support. A support system and dedicated geriatric centre is most essential. Doctors dealing with the elderly need enormous patience. Therefore, a clinic which is in sync with the special needs of the aged will be beneficial.
The core treatment facilities available at the centre include care towards preventing and managing fractures, dizziness (vision care), memory loss, depression, psychological revitalization, vaccinations, fatigue, unsteadiness or weakness, physiotherapy, diet counselling and medicine management. Vasanth Kumar, Senior Consultant-Internal Medicine and Geriatrics said the emphasis will be on adopting a team involving specialists from different faculties to provide an alround care.