SEHA provides excellent health care for senior citizens

The Abu Dhabi Health Services Company "SEHA" attaches great importance to the category of senior citizens and is keen to provide them with distinguished and high-quality health care in accordance with the highest international standards.

Dr. Marwan Al Kaabi, Acting Executive Director of Operations at SEHA, confirmed in a statement to the Emirates News Agency, WAM, that SEHA, in line with the directives of the wise leadership and its strategy to improve the quality of healthy life for senior citizens, is doing its best to provide their care, and its medical and technical cadres are working. And the administration to provide distinguished services, each according to its competence, and to provide amenities for this important group of society.

He said that SEHA focused its efforts in light of the spread of the new Corona virus "Covid 19" on the category of senior citizens, as they are among the groups most vulnerable to complications from infection with the virus, especially those who suffer from chronic diseases, and was keen to provide treatment and medicine to them in their homes, in order to ensure their safety and comfort.

He added that SEHA, in cooperation and coordination with the Abu Dhabi Department of Health and the Abu Dhabi Center for Public Health, provided many health services to senior citizens in order to ensure their safety during the exceptional circumstances caused by the Corona virus, and the most prominent of these services are mobile clinics to provide medical care, diagnostic and treatment services for senior citizens and those with diseases. Chronic diseases as well as specialized psychiatric clinics and home care for them by community mental health services.

He explained that mechanisms have been put in place to follow up on the health status of senior citizens and to identify the problems they may be exposed to by directly contacting them or their families with the presence of doctors around the clock in case of emergency. Psychological support programs have also been developed and a remote treatment program has been implemented.

For his part, Dr. Medhat Al-Sabahi, Consultant Psychiatrist and Head of the Psychiatric Rehabilitation Unit at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, one of SEHA's facilities, told WAM that the Corona pandemic does not exclude anyone and the virus does not distinguish between age, gender or class, and that any person is exposed to infection with the virus in degrees Uneven, but the injury that adults are exposed to, its complications are more dangerous to their lives, and this has been noticed through the injuries they have suffered in different countries of the world.

He added that studies have shown that at least 80 percent of the elderly suffer from chronic diseases (such as diabetes and pressure), and 68 percent of them may suffer from several diseases, which leads to an increase in the auto-inflammatory process in the body, and thus immunodeficiency and an increase in the possibility of infection with the Covid-19 virus.

Dr. Medhat Al-Sabahi pointed out that the elderly group is more vulnerable to mental disorders, at a rate of about 20% than the rest of the groups, according to the data of the World Health Organization, and that the most prevalent disorders among the elderly are depression, weak cognitive and cognitive abilities (Alzheimer) and anxiety, and this percentage increases in times of crises and the spread of epidemics. Such as the emerging corona virus, as a result of many factors, including exaggeration, intimidation, and many rumors.

He said that cases of psychological disorder are dealt with using behavioral therapies and supportive treatment (psychological support) for the elderly, where the family and caregivers are educated about the contributing factors that lead to the condition and ways to prevent them, and some of them may need temporary drug treatments and psychological support from specialists.

He stressed that prevention is better than treatment, and one of the basics of preventing disorders that may occur as a result of the spread of the virus is to raise awareness among those in charge of caring for the elderly, as it is important to take into account the psychological aspect of the patient by reassuring him as much as possible during the pandemic and not exaggerating and educating him with simplified information and urging him to maintain health fitness by eating healthy food And enough water and the continuation of social communication with him through the currently known means of communication.

SEHA provides a package of diverse and integrated services with regard to home care for senior citizens who do not wish to attend health centers and hospitals. These services include: providing medical advice for non-emergency cases with a nurse accompanying him, clinical examination according to the patient’s health condition and taking samples for laboratory tests Serving vaccinations, prescribing medicines and delivering them to the patient.

The mobile unit provides many medical services, including taking periodic laboratory tests according to the patient's need, providing the necessary vaccinations, providing nursing services such as nursing and clinical evaluation, changing the wounds and giving intramuscular injections at the request of the doctor.

SEHA also provides specialized and accredited clinics for comprehensive medical examinations for senior citizens in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Al Dhafra. In Abu Dhabi, the Zafarana Center for Diagnostic and Comprehensive Examination, Al Bateen Health Center, Mohammed Bin Zayed Health Center, Khalifa City Health Center, Baniyas Health Center and Al Ain City The Oud Al Tawbah Center for Diagnostic and Comprehensive Examination, Hili Health Center, Al Muwaiji Health Center, Al Yahar Health Center, Al Jahili Health Center and Al Dhafra Hospitals have been designated, in addition to that all external treatment services centers provide a diverse list of preventive medical examinations for senior citizens.

Follow our latest local and sports news and the latest political and economic developments via Google news