According to Dr Suman Singh, Director of Health, the Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs) have recently completed the survey, and the department is all set to start a pilot project (File)The Health Department has identified 1,874 people above 80 as part of a recent survey to start a pilot project of providing better healthcare services to the elderly residents of Chandigarh.According to Dr Suman Singh, Director of Health, the Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs) have recently completed the survey, and the department is all set to start a pilot project that will focus on the health and wellness of these elderly, some of whom live alone and many with families.“The effort is to focus on a system where a team of five, which has been approved, comprising doctors, staff nurses, attendants, and an ambulance service, will visit the elderly at their homes regularly, check for various health issues, and also health problems like hypertension, diabetes , etc, and then address these. If need be, those in need would be shifted to GMSH-16 for further treatment, with the provision of services like attendants, a dedicated ambulance service. Apart from focusing on their health needs, the visits and check-ups at their homes will also give them confidence. Initially, the idea was to include all elderly citizens, but this is the first phase of the project, as we start work and then understand the needs of the elderly and slowly and steadily include people in their 70s,” says Dr Singh.The department will also identify and prioritise elderly people who live alone, are disabled, are bedridden and are unable to move on their own. In a recent meeting of the 4th Rogi Kalyaan Samiti (RKS), a decision was taken that a dedicated ambulance service will be started for senior citizens and bedridden patients at GMSH-16. Also, a dedicated help desk for patients and their attendants will be started for OPD, gynaecology and the Emergency Ward. It was also decided that six caretakers/attendants will be hired to help the patients without any accompanying person.“All these decisions have been finalised and we are working towards implementing these services, and identifying the elderly in their 80s and starting services to improve their health and care for them is the first step in this direction,” adds Singh.Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:GMSH-16