WORLD HEALTH DAY IS APRIL 7TH Seniors Helping Seniors "Healthy Aging, Healthy Living" is the slogan of this year’s World Health Day, to be celebrated April 7th. Senior Friendship Centers, which operates clinics in North Fort Myers, Venice, Naples and Sarasota, has doubly epitomized that philosophy for the past sixteen years. Through a unique program sponsored by the Lee County Health Department, Senior Friendship offers retired medical professionals the opportunity to continue using their skills, while at the same time Lee’s seniors are offered expert, low-cost or free medical care. "It’s a highly needed service in this county. We can’t figure out where in the world uninsured senior citizens are going, if not here," says Nancy Perez, LPN, who heads the North Fort Myers clinic.
The Volunteer Health Care Provider Program, coordinated by Wendy Wildeman, MPH, is the vehicle for bringing together the medical personnel and their patients. "It’s a true example of elders helping elders," states Wildeman, adding, "This program offers medical professionals the chance to continue using their valuable skills and interact with other doctors and nurses, while at the same time helping their community." In fact, over thirty licensed medical professionals, in addition to clerical staff and clinical aides, volunteer at the Senior Friendship Center’s North Fort Myers clinic, housed within the health department’s 83 Pondella Road facility. Services range from primary care -- seeing a doctor, including a number of specialists – to filling prescriptions (right within the health department’s pharmacy) to getting referrals to other specialists when needed. "Additionally, I’m pleased to announce that we’ve just lowered the qualifying age to fifty, instead of fifty-five," adds Dr. Judith Hartner, Director of the Lee County Health Department. "This will add significantly to the number of seniors in our community we can assist." In 1998 the Pondella Road site registered 947 uninsured visits, in addition to 743 visits by those with insurance, including Medicare.
In addition to primary care physicians, specialists at the site include licensed physicians in orthopedics, dermatology, cardiology and psychiatry. All services and prescription costs are billed on an income-based sliding scale for uninsured patients. For those with Medicare, services have a 20% co-pay, while prescriptions are offered on a sliding scale basis. Estero residents will be happy to hear that Senior Friendship
Center, in conjunction with United Methodist Church, will open an Estero clinic in
mid-April. "Healthy Aging, Healthy Living" is more than a slogan at Senior
Friendship Centers, thanks to the Lee County Health Department and a dedicated corps of
health care professionals willing to share their retirement with their community and
neighbors. Please call (239) 656-2541 for more information. |
