As services for seniors continue to decrease across the country, Philadelphia’s aging population has a greater need for support. That is where InnovAge LIFE comes in.
Derek Moore, M.D., Senior Center Medical Director for InnovAge LIFE, which offers comprehensive care for seniors with complex health issues, told Metro Philadelphia that historically, Philadelphia has been the poorest big city in the country, only recently dropping down one spot last year.
This is especially concerning considering that, according to the PEW Research Center, older adults aged 65 and over represent about 15% of the city’s population.
Moore said that’s why his goal is to expand InnovAge’s services to as many seniors in Philly as possible.
He explained, “The biggest health challenges as people get older are lack of financial and family support. They don’t always have family to help. That is where InnovAge comes in. We provide wraparound services to keep people in their homes for as long as possible.”
InnovAge LIFE has centers at Allegheny, Pennypack, St Bart’s and Henry Avenue and offers low-cost senior healthcare and social services through the nationwide Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) in Colorado, California, Florida, New Mexico, Virginia, and Pennsylvania.
PACE services include emergency care, end-of-life care, medication management, nutrition, social work, physical, occupational and speech therapy and specialty care. Conditions treated include cancer, dementia (including Alzheimer’s disease), depression and other mental health conditions, diabetes, emphysema, heart disease and kidney disease.
InnovAge through PACE also offers in-home assistance, door-to-door transportation to the center and to off-site medical appointments as well as social programs. Dental and vision care, hospitalization and post-hospital care are also provided through local community-based networks of specialty providers.
Moore explained that the goal is to keep seniors independent and at home for as long as possible by identifying problems early, coordinating care across settings, and focusing on keeping them healthy. At InnovAge Life, they are assigned an interdisciplinary team who will develop a personalized care plan to meet their medical and social needs.
Each center includes space for medical care, physical therapy, behavioral health and other important healthcare services as well as day rooms and dining areas for socialization. Activities are also planned, like arts and crafts, games, live entertainment, group exercise and community outings.
On why a team approach is so important for senior care, Moore said, “It allows us to look at participants as a whole. They are much more than just their diagnosis.”
“We have a daily morning meeting with the whole interdisciplinary team to discuss high concern patients. Every office also has an open-door policy. We will all drop everything to talk about patient care.”
Moore added that comprehensive care also means that InnovAge provides care in seniors’ homes, not just at their centers. Whether it is help with laundry, grooming or medication reminders, the goal is to help them function independently.
Moore has been with InnovAge for two years and is dedicated to senior care.
“I am drawn to working with seniors because they are a medically complex population and because of the socioeconomic conditions in Philly. They are most in need and deserve to be cared for in their later years.”
Moore started his family medicine residency at Hahnemann University Hospital and finished it at Tower Health. He then worked at ChenMed as lead provider before joining InnovAge.
If you are interested in seeing if you qualify for PACE, simply talk to your primary care provider or call InnovAge at 844-704-9613. For more information, visit innovage.com.
Sponsored content produced in partnership with InnovAge
