YRMC’s Silver Care Program hits 4,000 members, aims for more
Going into its seventh year and amassing thousands of members, Yuma Regional Medical Center’s free Silver Care Program aims to continuously reach out and assist community members over the age of 55.
The Silver Care Program was established at the hospital in 2010. According to Mario Zappitelli, Silver Care coordinator/community outreach specialist at YRMC, the program now has nearly 4,600 active members.
“I look at Silver Care as a unique program that the hospital offers,” Zappitelli said. “It’s really an innovative gatekeeper to the hospital’s facilities for year-round residents and winter visitors.”
Among the health-related benefits such as special discounts and health screenings, Zappitelli notes that a large part of the program is education. Members receive invitations to certain events such as Coffee and Conversation.
At these special events, members get a chance to meet with health experts and board-certified health
professionals on various subjects. Topics can range from cancer prevention and healthy eating to new medical technology as well as new procedures that have recently become available.
“Offering certain events like Coffee and Conversation we are able to bring a medical profession clinician that is board-certified to speak about a specific acute chronic illness or something that is trending nationwide,” Zapatelli said.
One of the most recent Coffee and Conversation topics covered heart-related services and procedures offered at YRMC and featured Preeti Chandra, director of Preventive Cardiology at YRMC.
“As a general cardiologist, that is probably what I do day in and day out is to speak to my patients on a one-to-one basis as an individual,” Chandra said following the presentation, which took place Thursday. “But, to speak to them as a group and to know their common concerns and to understand where they are as far as their levels of understanding of their disease, to know what are their concerns for the future and where can the healthcare community fit in and chip in and help them get empowered, that was only possible by speaking to an audience.”
“As a healthcare provider it is quite different speaking to a big group,” Chandra added. “Their questions are interesting because it makes you think and pause and rethink all of your perceptions about what healthcare delivery should be like. I learn from them as much as they learn from me.”
With the discussions, the members are presented with information they may not have otherwise been exposed to without consultation, Zappitelli said.
“We are bringing those healthcare discussion points to them, and without this program some may not be able to have those interactions. The Silver Care program kind of softens some of the sensitive, touchy kind of topics that people are maybe unfamiliar with or they are dealing with some of those issues. Sometimes they don’t realize that they are at risk.”
“Through Silver Care, we are really able to provide education to the community,” Zappitelli added.
The program also runs through the help of four dedicated Silver Care volunteers who are able to “relate to members and are the face of the program,” Zappitelli noted. He said they carry out daily operations for the program.
Silver Care also offers a monthly newsletter, access to the Silver Strides Walking Club, health screenings at low cost or no cost, as well as other benefits.
For more information, visit www.yumaregional.org/For-The-Community/Silver-Care-Program or call (928) 336-3100.