April-June, 2003

Seniors' Health

Aging Gracefully: staying active is the key

As we get older and wiser, our health care needs tend to increase. But what is really involved with aging gracefully? Is it in our genes, or is there a trick to maintaining good health as we age? St. John’s Senior Health Center geriatrician Maria Dela Rosa, M.D., says staying active after retirement is a good start.

“After retirement, most of the elderly who seem to age gracefully are the ones who stay physically active. They exercise regularly, and keep socially active in church or are a member of an association with monthly meetings. People who maintain recreation such as playing bridge, golfing, line dancing, bowling or volunteering on a regular basis tend to be healthier, more well-adjusted individuals.”

Dela Rosa says conditions such as osteoarthritis, hypertension, back pain, heart disease, falling, dizziness, incontinence, diabetes, emphysema, memory loss and postural changes affect functioning as we age.
“I can see a rapid decline when some diseases alter a patient’s social capabilities. There is a scientific correlation between physical and social aspects of life. People derive energy from people they are around,” Dela Rosa says.

St. John’s Senior Health Center, located at 1965 S. Fremont in the Fremont Medical Building, suite 3800 on the St. John’s campus, focuses on the special health care needs of those 60 and older. Geriatrician Raj Purushothaman, M.D., also practices at the center with Dela Rosa.

“Our center is set up differently than a lot of the other clinics in that the hallways are wider and the rooms are larger,” Dela Rosa says. “We have really tried to make this experience as comfortable for our patients as possible. We also try to schedule longer visit times, so they only have to come once to take care of a lot of needs. Our patients have a one-stop shop. We have a laboratory for blood work, a pharmacy downstairs and we are able to do X-rays here, too. It is really convenient for them because they don’t have to go to several different places to get the care they need.”

Senior health centers differ from other clinics in that they are operated as outpatient departments of hospitals and provide social services to patients in addition to health care. As an outpatient department of
St. John’s Regional Health Center, St. John’s Senior Health Center provides primary medical care and psychosocial services to help elderly patients live as independently as possible for as long as possible.

“A lot of elderly patients really just want someone to listen to them. They may come for a routine visit and they are stable health-wise, but we also talk to them about their lives and it is therapeutic for them because some don’t have family members close by,” Dela Rosa says.

Call St. John’s Senior Health Center at 417-841-3760 to schedule an appointment.