Mercy Care Centre’s first ever health fair for the elderly

There was a neighborhood party today but the event was no regular occasion.  It was the Mercy Care Centre’s first ever health fair for the elderly at its headquarters on Mercy Lane in Belize City right next our headquarters. This is one party that News Five’s Marion Ali did not want to miss. Here is her report.

Marion Ali, reporting

They are from another generation, but often times when the elderly pass the mantle to their successors; they fade off into their twilight with little or no attention given to them.  So allowing them access to the very important basic medical services they need is one way the Mercy Care Centre is trying to help.  But sometimes spreading the word about those services is easier said than done.

Andre O’Brien, Director, Mercy Care Centre

Andre O'Brien

“That’s a very difficult task, but we are doing our best to educate people and to get the word out there to let them know where they can come, how they can access us; to know that not because it’s the name mercy, it’s only for poor people. The clinic is there for the elderly. You know we want to educate them to drink properly to eat properly, do a little bit of exercise. Even if you are not able to walk there are still exercises that you can do to promote healthy living.”

And while education and promotion are key, the services the elderly can receive free of cost are varied.

Doctor Miriam Alvarado, General Practitioner, Mercy Care Centre

“We see diabetics, patients that have hypertension, arthritis. Persons that also have psychological problems like depression and anxiety. And those are the things that we see a lot here and we treat based on protocols as well as on each patient—what is best for the patient.”

Marion Ali

“And this comes along with free medication as well?”

Doctor Miriam Alvarado

“Yes, this comes along with free medication, free services. We also get diagnostics and we have all the NHI providers like Belize Healthcare Partners, the Belize Medical Associations and all its branches. As well we have the Brodies pharmacy where people can go and get their medication at the pharmacy. We are trying to improve the services whereby they don’t have to go to the pharmacy. We are hoping that we can get a pharmacist onboard so that they can get the service here.”

But while ailments related to ageing are the main challenges the elderly face, there is also another growing problem—the issue of HIV and AIDS.

Rodel Beltran Perrera, Exec. Dir., Alliance Against AIDS

“The age of one of most recent clients that we lost was a woman of seventy-six years old. So we are seeing cases, we are seeing geriatric cases and remember HIV/AIDS has no boundaries at all—no matter the age, no matter the ethnicity, no matter the gender, no matter the sexual diversity. So we are seeing an increase.  In New York recently, the mayor of that city, launched a specific program targeting senior citizens of that huge city. Now they have a program for prevention on HIV. I think we need to start contemplating that, we need to start making sure that no matter what your age, you need to get the information on HIV and AIDS.”

Two of the members we spoke with took a break from dancing to tell us why they see the services offered necessary.

Hortence Arnold, member, Mercy Care Centre

“Sometimes gial to be true, I noh feel good. But some other time I feel quite well.

Marion Ali

How are the services here/ How do you find the4 services?

Hortence Arnold

“Oh very good, very good.”

Marion Ali

“So you would recommend them to Miss Kemp over there?”

Hortence Arnold

“Oh yes man, yes.”

Helen Kemp, member, Mercy Care Centre

“My health is good—no pressure, no nothing. My doctor seh I could have wahn sixteen year old boy because mi pressure dah hundred over twenty, but dah only the pain in the foot.”

Marion Ali

“So you can’t dance today?”

Helen Kemp

“I could dance. I wah could dance trust me if I even have to hold on.”

The Mercy Care Centre hopes to increase its membership by the end of 2010 to two thousand.  Reporting for News Five, I am Marion Ali.

The Mercy Care Centre is opened from Monday to Friday from seven-thirty in the morning to four in the afternoon.  Persons who seek the services of the Centre need to provide their Social Security card.