Elderly Eye Care – Towards a Better Quality of Life
Bhubaneswar, 6/04 (Pratyusha Bureau): The ICICI Centre for Elderly Eye Care was inaugurated at L V Prasad Eye Institute’s MithuTulsi Chanrai campus in Bhubaneswar on 6 April 2022. Supported by ICICI Bank – CSR Initiative, the centre was inaugurated by Mr Saurabh Singh, Head – TASC, GBG and ICICI Foundation and Mr Jaisingh Dhumal, Head-Technology Finance group, ICICI Bank and Dr Srikant Kumar Sahu, Campus Head, MithuTulsiChanrai campus, L V Prasad Eye Institute and Dr Umesh Chandra Behera, Head, ICICI Elderly Eye Care Centre, Mithu Tulsi hanrai campus, L V Prasad Eye Institute.
India is facing unprecedented demographic changes – a trend that is also being observed globally. Due to increasing longevity and reduced fertility, the population of those aged 60 and more in India is projected to nearly double over the next 30 years, from 10% in 2020 to 19% by 2050. In addition, the proportion of older adults considered the “oldest old,” age 80 and older, is also rising significantly.
The vision-limiting ocular diseases that ensue with aging often reflect chronic conditions and the individual’s overall health status. The increased risks of falls accompanied by vision impairment can adversely impact the quality of life of the elderly and their ability to lead independent lives.
While inaugurating the centre, Mr Saurabh Singh, Head – TASC and GBG, ICICI Foundation said, “ICICI Bank would like to thank LV Prasad Eye Institute for giving us an opportunity to be a part of this noble initiative. As part of its CSR initiative, the Bank has provided financial assistance to several eye care institutions to upgrade their infrastructure, create community ophthalmic centres and sponsor cataract surgeries for the underprivileged. Our best wishes to the LVPEI team to take this initiative forward.”
“The ICICI Elderly Eye Care Centre is a unique, one-of-its-kind comprehensive facility in Odisha, offering the best vision care to the elderly. Our team of specialists tackles the gamut of vision-limiting ocular diseases that ensue with age and follow a holistic approach to aging. In addition, we place eye care at the center and as the first line of screening for other age-related health morbidities like frailty, risk of falls, depression and dementia. We are thankful to ICICI Bank for extending their support for this unique and much-needed service,” said Dr Umesh Chandra Behera, Head, ICICI Elderly Eye Care Centre, Mithu Tulsi Chanrai campus, L V Prasad Eye Institute.
The centre offers personalized care to all elderly patients and is equipped with ophthalmic equipment, which can easily examine patients with physical morbidity. The services provided to the elderly are:
- Comprehensive eye screening
- Diagnostics
- Surgical care for essential to advanced eye problems
- Low vision and rehabilitative care
- Counseling and educating them on preventive measures to reduce the risk of fall
- Physiotherapy to help improve body balance
- Screening for depression and dementia
The flow of the service is:
- Older adults seeking appointments at LVPEI are evaluated for frailty before their arrival through a telephonic questionnaire. In addition, the expected risks confounding the quality of life in the elderly are assessed during routine clinical flow.
- The score generated lets the in-house developed Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system flag these patients for easy identification at the hospital entrance. These patients are guided to a dedicated elderly care lounge for prioritized care.
- A flagging system in the EMR identifies those needing various therapeutic and rehabilitative procedures.
- Dedicated staff trained in elderly care assist these patients during their hospital stay, ready to meet any emergency.
- The waiting lounge and the utility areas are elderly-friendly to improve the elderly subject’s visit experience.
- We use the opportunity to educate them on the various morbidity prevention options available to make aging safer and healthier
LVPEI also offers teleconsultation and essential eye care screening services at home for home-bound elderly patients due to physical morbidities. Basic eye care services delivered at the doorsteps are helping the elderly access LVPEI’s high-quality vision screening services. Their families also benefit from reduced costs associated with travel to the hospital for consultation.
To make quality eye care accessible for all, L V Prasad Eye Institute offers 50% of its services free of cost to those from underprivileged backgrounds.
