Whether you receive a Social Security check or care for an aging parent, you understand the unique healthcare challenges often accompanying aging. Your healthcare providers should, too. St. Luke’s Carbon, Lehighton and Miners campuses offer many services for older adults.

“Recognizing unique challenges come with age, St. Luke’s offers a gentle and safe approach to care while proactively offering specialized treatment options that enhance and improve both physical and mental health,” said geriatrician Alaa-Eldin A. Mira, MD, chief of Geriatric Medicine, St. Luke’s University Health Network. “St. Luke’s helps seniors and caregivers get the most out of life by offering programs, classes and tools designed by geriatric specialists. St. Luke’s University Health Network is committed to helping older adults stay as healthy and independent as possible.”

HOSPITAL-BASED SERVICES FOR OLDER ADULTS

Senior Emergency Room

St. Luke’s Miners Campus offers a Senior Emergency Room. It is not an actual room but a specialized approach providing comprehensive emergency care tailored to older adults’ needs and delivered by specially trained doctors, nurses and other experts.

Special features include environmentally friendly, subdued lighting, walls, anti-slip flooring with colors and patterns to enhance depth perception and handrails to assist with balance.

Volunteers provide seniors with comfort items.

“It’s not just a one-size-fits-all mentality in our ER,” said Justin Binstead, DO, Medical Director, Department of Emergency Medicine at St. Luke’s Miners Campus. “The injury pattern of someone who has a fall in their 80s is a lot different than someone in their 30s. Also, having the awareness that certain medications interact differently might affect your evaluation and treatment recommendations.

“I designed medication algorithms to treat geriatric-specific conditions. For instance, I implemented an Acute Agitation and Delirium medication algorithm to treat these cases.”

NICHE (Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders) Designation

St. Luke’s Carbon and Miners campuses have achieved designation as NICHE (Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders) hospitals.

A nurse-driven program, NICHE helps hospitals improve the care of older adults by providing integrated clinical and supportive care directed at the unique and sensitive needs of older patients and their caregivers.

Acute Rehabilitation Units

The Acute Rehabilitation Unit at St. Luke’s Lehighton Campus is ideal for patients ready to be discharged but not quite well enough to return home.

Physicians, therapists, nurses and social workers coach patients through various therapies enabling them to recover skills and live as independently as possible.

Conditions treated include brain injury, stroke, complex joint replacements, amputation, multiple traumatic injuries, neurological disorders, movement disorders and spinal cord injuries.

Older Adult Behavioral Health Unit

St. Luke’s offers an Older Adult Behavioral Health Unit for patients 55 and older at St. Luke’s Lehighton Campus. A geriatric-trained psychiatrist, a gerontologist, medical-surgical nurses, mental health technicians, case managers and activity therapists staff the unit. Besides treating patients’ behavioral health conditions, the team addresses the medical health concerns that often accompany advanced age, such as diabetes, hypertension and heart disease.

For more information or to make a referral, call 484-602-2733.

Older Adult Meal Program

St. Luke’s offers meals prepared fresh daily for $3.99 each to adults 65 and older. Participants gather with friends and neighbors, link to Wi-Fi and enjoy meeting new people. The meal is available at the St. Luke’s Carbon, Lehighton and Miners campuses.

New senior lecture series feature St. Luke’s physicians and other health care professionals who discuss topics of interest to older adults.

• Fireside Chat Series, St. Luke’s Carbon Campus – the second Thursday of the month, starting May 9.

• Health Talk Series, St. Luke’s Miners Campus – the third Tuesday of the month. This began April 16.

Skilled Nursing

Facilities

St. Luke’s Campuses offer skilled nursing services, include:

• St. Luke’s Miners Rehabilitation and Nursing Center – Coaldale, 570-645-8208

• The Summit Nursing and Rehabilitation Center at St. Luke’s Lehighton Campus, 610-377-7260

Home Health and Hospice

St. Luke’s Visiting Nurse Association provides skilled nursing, physical therapy and other health care services in the homes of patients recovering from surgery, acute illness or injury or to manage a chronic disease.

Other services include occupational and speech therapy, medical social work and home health aides. Hospice provides patients end-of-life care and support for their families.

Call 484-526-1100 to request information or make a referral.