CAMAGÜEY.- In the space of this section, issues related, fundamentally, to any disease, what its causes are, how to avoid it (if possible), and how to live with it are addressed. This time the matter is interesting, but it gets a little out of the formal script because it is about aging and more so when it comes to that time of life with the loneliness that affects so much.

Aging is a biological process that occurs in a human being from the moment of birth, therefore it does not constitute a disease. To reach old age, it is known that one goes through the age of infant, preschool, school, adolescence, young adult, and when reaching 60 years is considered an older adult.

In this way, Dr. Jesús Lázaro Regueira Naranjo, head of the Senior Adult and Social Assistance Section, of the Provincial Directorate of Public Health, described this stage that we all want to reach; however, sometimes we do not know how or even the possibility of doing it with the best possible quality of life.

"Despite not being a disease, old age brings with it degenerative processes ..."

—It is true, but depending on the physical constitution of each person. Sometimes chronic non-transmissible diseases begin to appear.

- Can these chronic diseases be related to the type of life lived before the age of 60? If so, can you mention some inappropriate behaviors?

-Of course. Human beings do not always think about old age and risks. If at an early age they smoke, drink alcohol in an exaggerated way, do not eat properly, do not practice physical exercises and remain obese, just to mention some behaviors, they are people who despite reaching old age, are more prone to suffer from diseases chronic that could be avoided with different behaviors.

“Toxic habits and addictions will always result in old age, if it occurs, with many ailments and impediments to take advantage of those years to the full. The ideal is to become an older adult with a good quality of life. There are occasional issues such as accidents that leave sequelae, genetic difficulties or disabilities, but if you live as healthy as possible, undoubtedly the elderly will enjoy this period in better conditions.

- If on top of adding years he is alone?

—The first thing is that he is over 60 years old and does not have to live alone, that is, there are several who live together with advanced ages and we consider them that way, alone, because they do not have family protection, or family protection that assumes their permanent care , which includes protection of all kinds up to the economic one. That is why we evaluate the social, economic and biological situation.

“We also give them psychological care. When they are accompanied they cannot be criticized for everything, all that depresses them, you have to listen to them even if they repeat their stories, the care is not only to feed them and keep them clean, it is more than that.

“The new generations must be oriented so that they respect the elderly, listen to their experiences. It is not a problem that they live alone, but the same when they are accompanied and are not well cared for with the necessary affection ”.

–Have they identified them?

—In home care to favor them with a home assistant, their checkbook is paid, they receive their medications through couriers, among others, we have little more than 29,430, although not all of them are benefited by this type of care, due to various reasons , because this includes assistance to nursing homes, nursing homes and day homes.

- What would be the priority for these cases when it comes to being admitted to nursing homes?

—This is the first, those we consider to be alone and without family support, then those who live in critical situations and those who have family, but this cannot assume permanent care. And we also take into account the voluntariness of people, we cannot force them, even if they accept, they can return home if they prefer.

 

—How does an old man come to ask for any kind of these benefits?

 

—At the polyclinic level, there is a basic work group, regardless of the number of family doctor and nurse offices it has, and in each of these there is a health social worker, who must arrive at least twice per month, to the offices where they have identified the cases to follow, that is why he visits them because they are in a nominal register with their felt needs and from there the care mechanism begins.

 

“We also have the family care system (SAF), based on food and it is called a community market. They are guaranteed breakfast, lunch and elaborate food, and they offer them cultural activities, they have television, and other distractions so that they remain entertained and socialize, which is not mandatory, some take their food and do not participate in the exchanges ”.

—If you suffer from a chronic disease or have another health problem, how do you get care?

—Through primary health care (PHC), that is, your family doctor and nurse, where you are registered according to your characteristics, for which you receive consultation or visits at home, as appropriate for his illness.

“A lot can be done for the elderly, see them as integral entities and meet their needs. They are vaccinated, diseases are investigated that sometimes have not given any signs ”.

–If you require a specialist?

—Your family doctor provides this type of care sometimes in the office itself or in polyclinics, where geriatricians, ophthalmologists, and other specialists go, and they are also treated in hospitals if that were the case, always in agreement with a presumptive diagnosis.

—Dentistry services are highly demanded by the elderly, what is done in these cases?

—These constitute a prioritized group and we have the comprehensive general dentist (EGI, for its acronyms un Spanish), and from the dentistry clinic that corresponds to the health area or polyclinic, a census is carried out with the people to be evaluated and the oral cancer investigation is carried out and takes into account if you need dental prosthesis.

–To require rehabilitation?

—The province has 31 polyclinics, and 26 rehabilitation rooms. The family doctor can indicate this service, even if the person has been admitted to a hospital, he leaves with a referral for this type of care where he is evaluated by a physiatrist and determines the behavior to follow.

“Some don't go to the rehabilitation room because they can't; however, the qualified personnel of these centers go to the houses and if the elderly person has a relative they teach them what to do and if they are alone they are discussed with the social worker.

—If the old man needs to be transferred to a hospital to receive a specific treatment ...

—The ambulance service is requested in advance and is guaranteed. Our elderly are seen for what they are, those who have given a lot in their lives for their family and for the country and we have an obligation to protect them and make life more pleasant for them. As we said at the beginning, they are not sick only because of their age, but they need the support of many.

SOME DATA:

—Camagüey has 154,751 older adults, 20.25% of its total population. It is the sixth oldest province in the nation.

—Three of its municipalities are above the provincial average and they are: Guáimaro, Camagüey and Florida.

—In this province there are 15 nursing homes with 1,091 beds available, 27 grandparents' homes with 960 places and 240 places in day homes.

—There are 16 departments of Mental Health, with psychologists, psychiatrists and nurses. Four in the main municipality and 12 in the rest.

—142 centennial elders or more; one of them, Emilio Duanes Dubalcer, 119 years old, who will turn 120 next May 10.