St. Bernard opens nonprofit aging center

Photo: CatherineFallsCommercial/Getty Images

Chicago's St. Bernard Hospital opened its nonprofit Center for Better Aging last week, which began providing healthcare services for older adults on the South Side.

The Center for Better Aging, according to the hospital, is dedicated to achieving equitable health outcomes. Based in the Englewood community, CBA provides adults ages 50 and older with access to primary care, wellness education and social services. 

The center is an Illinois Healthcare Transformation Collaborative, with state funding through the Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS).

"We have a responsibility to take care of our oldest Illinoisans, and for far too long the South Side has lacked adequate care for this community," said Illinois Governor JB Pritzker. "The establishment of the CBA is a crucial step in addressing care shortages and ensuring everyone has the right to age with dignity and support."

WHAT'S THE IMPACT?

One of the main issues the center will help to address, according to St. Bernard, is the shortage of aging care practitioners on the South Side. In the majority of South Side neighborhoods, the ratio of primary care providers to residents is less than half of the Chicago average, according to American Medical Association physician data.

CBA has recruited licensed physicians, nurse practitioners, specialists and social workers experienced in treating older adults, the hospital said.

The center's strategic operations team has recruited community partners to reach out to aging adults without a primary care provider and coordinate timely follow-up with members to keep them active in the community. Physical therapy and fall risk prevention support mobility and longevity, while geriatric mental and behavioral care screens for difficulty with comprehension, self-care and cognitive functions, the hospital said.

Partners include Chicago Commons, Chicago State University, DL3 Realty, KemeticHlth, Smyl Fitness Rx, SPARC Wellness, St. Bernard Hospital and UI Health.

"The Center for Better Aging is a forward-looking collaboration among providers to make quality care for older adults more accessible and effective," said Acting HFS Director Elizabeth Whitehorn. "By making preventive care available to all, we can make meaningful progress toward two of HFS' top priorities: bettering health outcomes for Illinoisans and improving equity within the healthcare system."

THE LARGER TREND

In February the Administration for Community Living released a final rule that updates regulations for implementing its Older Americans Act (OAA) programs for the first time since 1988, aiming to better support the national aging network that delivers OAA services and improve program implementation. 

The goal is to ensure the nation's growing population of older adults can continue to receive services and support in their homes.
 

Jeff Lagasse is editor of Healthcare Finance News.
Email: jlagasse@himss.org
Healthcare Finance News is a HIMSS Media publication.