This Wednesday, April 24, the official launch was given to the More Self-Employed Seniors Program of La Serena, in charge of the 7 health teams, made up of a kinesiologist and occupational therapist from the Juan Pablo II Health Centers, Las Compañías, Raúl Silva Henríquez , Cardenal Caro, Pedro Aguirre Cerda, Emilio Schaffhauser and Rural Health Team.
The event took place at the Las Compañías Sports Center, a municipal space that has constantly opened its doors to the work carried out with the Senior Citizen community. In this successful ministerial strategy, older people receive benefits of different kinds, mainly focused on self-care and self-management of underlying or chronic diseases, but also on promoting the functionality and improving the quality of life of this group of the population. age population, through physical exercise and cognitive stimulation.
Likewise, in order to access this benefit, it is important that people first take the Preventive Medicine Examination for the Elderly (EMPAM) at the health center to which they belong or rural post in which they are registered and, after application of this annual health check, they can participate in the program.
Rodrigo Fernández, provisional director of the Health Department of the Gabriel González Videla Municipal Corporation, referred to the actions that are carried out in the commune, regarding the care of older adults. “Within the lines of the Municipal Health area and, according to the technical guidance that we have received from the ministry, there is hard work that we are developing in relation to the elderly population. In that regard, this year we have had to appoint a nurse, who will carry out coordination efforts with the Community Program for Older Adults.
In addition, the professional reaffirmed the current administration’s emphasis on injecting more resources. “It is one of the great challenges at the local and national level, with a better response in promotion, prevention and rehabilitation for the entire Elderly population.”
For his part, Pablo Montecinos, coordinator of the Municipal Health Department and community manager of the More Self-Employed Seniors Program, highlighted that “during 2023 we had 5,400 people who entered the program and, so far in 2024, more than 1,400 people have registered. . It has always had a high adherence and, as a team, we are super happy with the high attendance that we always have in the activities that are carried out, which, for the most part, are self-managed and simplified to providing tools to community leaders and also recreation. (tours, training in coordination with universities, etc.).
HAPPY USERS
Gladys Gutiérrez has been participating in the “AMA” of Cesfam Cardenal Caro since last year and her entry has given her a wonderful experience. “Kinesiologists are a seven, for me. It is a tremendous blessing to be here. We attended this welcome to entertain ourselves, also with music from my time. We must encourage other older adults… it is a tremendous joy to be able to participate, I like to lift people’s spirits, I hug them, I love them, it is part of what we need in this world, because the older adult generally lives alone, sometimes bitter and sad, so we have to take care of ourselves,” he said.
His colleague Claudio Vega, Cesfam user Pedro Aguirre Cerda, has the same opinion. “It has been something wonderful because we have had the opportunity, not only to do physical exercise, but also to socialize, meet new friends. Recently, we were able to create a club of people called “Better Adults”, because, precisely, we are seeing life differently in this stage in which we are immersed and, with that, I agree with Gladys, that this part of personal development is needed, because At this point, that is what fills us.”
