Rush University Medical Center studies elderly's health needs
By Hayley Carlton
A mostly elderly crowd recently packed the Chicago Department on Aging Central West Regional Center, 2102 W. Ogden Ave., to hear results of a year-long study of adults from the Near West Side. After the presentation, audience members shared their own concerns.
The study had two goals, according to Dana Bright of Rush University Medical Center, who made the presentation. “First, we wanted to increase our understanding of the chronic disease burden and health risk behaviors among older adults in this community.”
Bright said a chronic disease is a condition, such as heart disease or diabetes, that “is with a person for a long time…sometimes for life.” This differs from acute disease, which is curable, she said.
The study’s second goal was to develop a long term plan to improve health and prevent disease that would “match the community’s interests and needs.”
The area Rush studied is bounded by Kinzie Street to the north, 16th Street to the south, Canal Street to the east, and Western Avenue to the west. Researchers gained data in a variety of ways, including “talking to people after church and talking to cops,” Bright said. They also held seven focus groups and interviewed service providers at locations such as Harrison Park in Pilsen, Notre Dame de Chicago Church, Holy Family Church, the Coalition of Limited English Speaking Elderly, and the Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly. According to the survey, the area has a higher concentration of people living in poverty (38%) versus Chicago as a whole (20%) as well as a higher percentage of people of Asian heritage living in poverty.
Topics explored included health promotion and education, managing chronic conditions, accessing healthcare, health risks and behaviors, effects of social and environmental conditions on health, community barriers to health, meeting the needs of the hard to reach, and relationships between patients and doctors. Bright said patient/physician relationships originally was not included but was added as a result of the focus groups.
The group of health consumers studied was 75% female and 25% male. The majority had some sort of health insurance which, Bright said, “skews the results” a bit.
Their concerns included the effects of language barriers and lack of education on health, lack of agencies representing seniors in Pilsen/Little Village, social isolation, cost of healthcare, and transportation. Bright called transportation “the big T word that we always hear."
Seniors also worry about being respected by healthcare providers, said Bright. Lack of respect includes having health concerns dismissed, such as being told that diabetes or forgetfulness is a normal part of aging, and feeling that healthcare providers began treating them differently the day they went on Medicare.
“People with Medicare are treated differently,” said Bright, noting many seniors asked, in effect, “Why is the first question always about the money—don’t [healthcare providers] care about my health first?”
Bright added seniors have a huge awareness of the media and pharmaceutical companies’ marketing efforts. Seniors want to know, “Do these people have my best interest in mind?”
Information shared at the presentation included the fact that Rush has banned pharmaceutical companies from buying lunch for doctors and giving them free samples. Although some patients are unhappy at no longer being able to receive free samples, Rush made the rule to avoid undue influence, said Bright.
Questions from the audience included how to know if the prescription drugs a person is taking are doing the job and how to get funding for home healthcare.
A Rush pharmacist who visits the Central West facility every fourth Tuesday offers free advice and will research people’s questions via the Rush library.
Also, seniors are encouraged to bring all their medicine to their doctor's appointments, use the same pharmacist for all prescriptions, and tell their doctor about any home remedy they are taking.
For more information about this and other programs offered at the Chicago Department on Aging Central West Regional Center, call (312) 746-5300. Rush also offers Rush Generations, a free membership for older adults and their caretakers that offers free health information and classes. Call (800) 757-0202.
