First geriatric facility opens at Claremont Health Centre

The first geriatric facility dedicated to the specialised care of older Jamaicans, Golden CARE, was officially unveiled at the Claremont Centre of Excellence (Health Centre) in St. Ann, on July 22, by Health and Wellness Minister, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton.

It has been introduced under the Ministry of Health and Wellness' Community Arranged Response Efforts (CARE) initiative.

There are also plans to replicate the model in other communities across the island. 

Speaking at the ceremony, Dr. Tufton said the initiative was the beginning of what should become the standard practice in the health system for caring for older Jamaicans.

“The obvious is that greater emphasis will be focused on that ageing population, persons 60 years and over. That it will be about understanding their particular needs clinically, whether it is psychological needs, mental needs, physical needs, and the staff here will provide greater support,” Dr. Tufton outlined.

He noted that the Claremont community and surrounding areas are home to approximately 500 senior citizens, who will now have access to a facility specifically designed to assess and respond to the broad range of issues that can affect older adults.

These include chronic illnesses, memory challenges, mental health concerns, falls and the effects of loneliness, which he described as a common feature of ageing.

“The thing I like about it (the initiative), which is not readily as obvious but absolutely important, is the sense of community that it promotes. So, what Health is doing, and, indeed, what Claremont is doing, and what the leaders who have pioneered
this effort are doing, is pioneering the sense of community, which leads to longevity of life and satisfaction in life,” Dr. Tufton explained.

He added that the programme will encourage greater social connection and promote healthier, more fulfilling lives among senior citizens.

The government programme is being led by Professor, the Most Hon. Denise Eldemire Shearer and her team at the Mona Ageing and Wellness Centre.

For her part, Professor Eldemire Shearer explained that the geriatric clinic forms part of the Ministry's ongoing renewal of primary healthcare after recognising that the health needs of older people are not fully addressed through traditional curative clinics.

She said that factors such as access to medication, loneliness, falls, memory loss and incontinence all have a significant impact on the well-being of seniors and require a more comprehensive approach.

“The purpose of our geriatric clinics is to identify those issues early, so that you don't fall down, that you can have physio, which is here, and that you can intervene,” Professor Eldemire Shearer pointed out.

She said the clinic will use a globally recognised 10-minute screening tool developed by the World Health Organization (WHO), which was piloted in Jamaica.

Several senior citizens from the Claremont community were among the first to be enrolled in the clinic on the day of the launch.

Among them was Theresa Slack, who welcomed the initiative noting that it fills an important gap in a community where many younger residents have migrated, leaving behind an ageing population.

“Golden Care is a very good initiative for our community because most of the young people have moved out and it’s mostly elderly now, so having a clean, spacious clinic that is geared specifically towards us means we don’t get lost in the regular system and can be cared for in the best way possible,” Ms. Slack underscored.

By Okoye Henry