NM Senior Quick Facts • New Mexicans over 65 years of age: 212,225 (a 30% increase since 1990) • New Mexico has the highest percentage of Hispanics over 65 in the nation • New Mexico has the 2nd highest percentage of Native Americans over 65 in the nation • 22% of NM households have an individual over age 65 living in the residence

No Place Like Home by Cathleen Rineer-Garber For most people today, the thought of their doctors making a house call is far-fetched. Once a fairly common way for physicians to care for their patients, house calls began to lose popularity in the US in the late 1960s. But like so many other aspects of that era, house calls are making a comeback. Dr. Carla Herman of the UNM Senior Health Center Physicians Home Visit Program According to Sherry Reeder, RN, case manager in the UNM Geriatrics Division, nearly 100 elderly Albuquerque residents-most in their late 80s and 90s-are regularly visited at home by their physicians. "These patients are home-bound, frail elders," said Reeder. "It's very difficult for them to get to the doctor for regular checkups. This program keeps them at home and as healthy as possible." The UNM Senior Health Center Physician Home Visit Program enlists a variety of health care providers, including physicians, medical residents, nurses, physical and occupational therapists, and social workers. The frequency of visits is based on the individual-some patients receive monthly house calls while others are visited quarterly. The makeup of the visiting health care team depends on the needs of the patient, said Reeder. "We provide a full range of care from initial assessment and follow up to acute care, X-rays, diagnostic imaging and lab work." This comprehensive approach is what distinguishes the UNM program from home health care. Carla Herman with Maria Gomez, 82. "Our patients are not recovering from an illness, injury or surgery. They are receiving their primary medical care at home," she said. According to Reeder, most of the patients currently in the program suffer from illnesses usually associated with the frail elderly, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), congestive heart failure, degenerative joint disease, osteoarthritis, and Alzheimer's disease. As Reeder pointed out, visiting these patients in their own environment provides an added benefit. "We can see how they function at home and assess safety and nutritional issues at the same time," she said. Many frail elderly patients become injured because of unsafe living conditions-a slippery shower stall or a steep flight of stairs. In a traditional medical setting, where the patient comes to the doctor's office, health care providers would have difficulty in identifying and correcting safety issues that might cause future injuries. The same principle applies to nutritional health for the elderly. "Many of our patients will say they are eating very well at home," said Reeder. "But when you are actually there, looking in their refrigerator or cupboards, you can see for yourself." This attentiveness, Reeder said, gives peace of mind to family members as well as health care providers. Most important, it also keeps the patients living at the most independent level possible-and out of the hospital. Dr. Herman pays a house call to Robert and Peg Hooton Although the UNM Home Visit Program has been active for several years, it has only recently gained widespread attention. "Two years ago, we had only five patients," said Reeder. "Now we have a waiting list." Similar programs are gaining popularity nationwide and Reeder believes it's a sign of the times. "We have an aging population that we are not equipped to deal with. As a society, we are looking for different ways to provide geriatric care. We have to," she said.   Missed a feature story? Click here to browse our features archive.

	Disclaimer  |   Privacy Statement University of New Mexico	Search  |   HSC Home  |   HSC Intranet  |   UNM Comments: HSC Web Development Team