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S E R V I N G TAY L OR , OL D F OR G E , MOOSIC & SURROUNDING AREAS TRIBOROBANNER.COM |AUGUST 16, 2018
A bocce tournament in Old Forge was held to benefitted the Make-A-Wish program |PaGE 4
Hundreds turned out for the Prince of Peace Parish’s annual chicken barbecue |PaGE 8
Focus on EldEr HEaltH Program helps seniors track their wellness By Josh McAuliffe
tions they may be experiencing as well as giving them the opportunity to speak special to The Triboro Banner regularly to a remote, telehealth nurse on the phone who can help them betThanks to a partnership between the ter manage their health between doctor United Way of Lackawanna and Wayne visits,” said Jason Kavulich, director of Counties and the Lackawanna County the Area Agency on Aging. Department of Human Services’ (DHS) Modeled after the Telehealth InterArea Agency on Aging, Triboro-area vention Program for Seniors (TIPS), seniors now have access to a convenient ROAM was initiated in Scranton at Teleform of health maintenance. spond Senior Services, the Jewish ComThe Old Forge Borough Building recently became another site for the United munity Center and United Neighborhood Way and Area Agency on Aging’s Remote Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania, where it’s proven popular. Recently, Older Adult Monitoring (ROAM), a the program’s coordinators decided to voluntary, weekly program that moniexpand it to places where seniors don’t tors vital signs such as blood pressure, pulse, blood oxygen and weight for local typically congregate, said Nikki Keller, United Way vice president of community residents age 60 and older. impact marketing. The program is free, and there are Besides Old Forge, ROAM is now ofno income requirements for participatfered in Scott Twp. on Mondays, Carboning seniors. dale on Wednesdays and in the North ROAM is offered every Thursday at Pocono area on Fridays. the Borough Building, 310 S. Main St., Already, the program has yielded No. 2, Old Forge, from 10:30 a.m. to several life-saving instances, according 12:30 p.m. There, trained telehealth to Keller. technicians from area colleges use non“We had one woman whose pulse invasive, FDA-approved medical devices readings were off. She went to the doctor, to obtain and track seniors’ vital signs. and it turned out she had rather severe From there, the readings are transmitblockages and required cardiac catherizated to a nurse from the Area Agency on Aging who will contact the senior at the tion,” she said. “With another gentleman, a student thought he seemed off, even first sign of an alert. though his vitals weren’t showing any“ROAM is designed to help educate thing bad. But the nurse reached out, and older adults about chronic health condiit turned out he had a brain bleed.” In addition to being on the cutting edge of high-tech healthcare, ROAM is also designed to forge close human connections between the seniors and the TS_CNG/TRIBORO/PAGES [T01] | 08/15/18
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Student volunteer Kate Musto from the University of Scranton works with a participant.
student telehealth technicians. “We’ve seen a real bond form between our ROAM participants and the student technicians,” said Gary Drapek, United Way president. “That personal connection plays just as important a role in effective health monitoring as the hightech equipment we utilize.” “Our goal is to help our seniors remain active and independent while maintaining a healthy lifestyle,” Drapek continued. “This program is by no means intended to replace regular medical visits but rather, augment and assist our seniors in taking control of their own continued wellbeing.”
For more information on ROAM, call 570-343-1267, ext. 239, or visit uwlc.net/roam. If you go What: Remote Older Adult Monitoring (ROAM) sessions When: Thursdays, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Where: Old Forge Borough Building, 310 S. Main St., No. 2 Details: Sessions are free and open to area residents ages 60 and older. For more information on ROAM, call 570-343-1267, ext. 239, or visit uwlc.net/roam.