UGA Care Center: Helping Elderly Georgians Receive Necessary Care

PRIYA JANI – Americans are growing old – especially in Georgia. By 2030, the U.S. Census Bureau estimates that the elderly population in Georgia will rise to an estimated 20 percent, skyrocketing almost 34 percent above the previous 2012 value¹. Inevitably, the elderly bring a greater need for healthcare in many aspects: hospice, nursing homes, hospitals, pharmaceutical demands, medical technology and staff, and…physicians. Physicians, unfortunately, are precisely whom Georgia sorely lacks. Currently, there is a ratio of 11,500 seniors per geriatrician in Georgia², each treating long-term, compounding medical issues such as heart disease, cancer risk, and rheumatoid arthritis. If left unchecked, Georgia seniors will soon face declining quality of care and soaring healthcare costs that are likely to sour public opinion of state healthcare agencies.

Thankfully, some individuals have been taking special note of the needs of the elderly. At the University of Georgia, the Institute of Gerontology has kickstarted the CARE Center, meant to diagnose, aid, and educate rural elderly patients with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. The center, located on the Health Sciences Campus in Athens, utilizes an interdisciplinary approach involving experts and research students from geriatrics, neuroscience, public health, social work, healthcare policy, and healthcare education. 

Since 2019, the CARE Center has offered cognitive assessments and diagnoses with the aid of geriatrician Dr. Don Scott, M.D., and clinical neuropsychologist Dr. Steven Correia, Ph.D. Additionally, founders Dr. Lisa Renzi-Hammond and Dr. Jenay Beer are studying methods to better reach rural patients through telehealth, and developed a curriculum devoted to Alzheimer’s and dementia education. At present, an estimated 80 percent of seniors are unaware of the signs of Alzheimer’s, in a recent study by the Alzheimer’s Association³. Easing distrust towards telehealth and providing information that could spur individuals to obtain treatment early on are the first steps to making scarce healthcare providers accessible throughout Georgia. 

Although the lack of geriatricians remains detrimental for Georgia seniors, know that there are community services and initiatives such as the CARE Center willing to provide support and care. If a loved one may be struggling with Alzheimer’s or dementia, then perhaps the CARE Center should be your next stop. The advent of the new University of Georgia medical school, set to open in 2026, also spearheads the necessary initiative to produce state physicians, hopefully especially in primary care and geriatrics. With the proper resources and intentional increase of Georgia physicians, it is possible to improve the outcomes of thousands of elderly awaiting care. Although they may be forgotten or sidelined, we as citizens must remember to make our elderly a priority in the years to come.

Copy Editor – Elizabeth Vaitl

Photography Source – https://healthcenter.uga.edu/welcome-to-the-university-of-georgia-health-center/