What You Need To Know
The Center for Healthy Senior Living at Hackensack University Medical Center is opening a Lifestyle and a Frailty Program to enhance the overall well-being and safety of older adults.
The number of Americans ages 100 and older is projected to more than quadruple over the next three decades, from an estimated 101,000 in 2024 to about 422,000 in 2054, according to projections from the U.S. Census Bureau. But a recent survey found that Americans are no longer just looking for ways to live longer: they want to be healthier while doing so.
The Frailty program will be led by our geriatric medicine specialist Owen Deland, M.D., and provide comprehensive screening and treatment services designed to promote healthy aging and maintain independence and successful aging including:
- Identifying underlying risk factors contributing to frailty.
- Evaluating physical, cognitive, and social functioning.
- Assessing nutritional status and identifying potential interventions.
- Evaluating mood, anxiety, and cognitive function.
- Setting realistic and achievable goals for improvement.
- Identifying and addressing modifiable risk factors.
- Exercise programs: Tailored exercise programs to improve strength, balance, and mobility.
The Lifestyle program, led by lifestyle medicine and geriatric medicine specialist Kamal Wagle, M.D.,MPH, CMD, DipABLM, AGSF, will help older adults improve physical, social, cognitive and emotional health and manage chronic conditions by promoting:
- A healthy dietary lifestyle.
- Physical activity.
- Restorative sleep.
- Stress management.
- Avoidance of risky substances.
- Positive social connection.
The lifestyle program will develop personalized plans for individuals by:
- Assessment of lifestyle components using validated tools
- Assessment of person’s self efficacy, and barriers and readiness to change
- Motivational interview and positive psychology
- Connecting to community resources with help of social workers
- Monitoring and follow ups of progress made
The programs will provide older adults and families with a new opportunity to take proactive steps to maintain optimal brain health.