El Residente
20 Senior Living in Costa Rica by Katya De Luisa
The Geriatric Hospital and Memory Clinic
T
he Raul Blanco Cervantes Geriatric Hospital was originally the Tuberculosis Hospital. When specialized hospitals were established in Costa Rica in 1989, it was converted to a teaching and research center for geriatrics. In 1992, in collaboration with the CCSS (Caja), a residency program was established with the School of Medicine of the University of Costa Rica. This hospital is today a shining light among the National health care system of hospitals in Costa Rica. Yes, it gets as crowded as the other Caja hospitals, but the quality of care and attention given to seniors seeking medical assistance is exemplary. The staff, many of whom speak English, are conscientious and kind, and even with the normal waits, at noon, everyone, including the person accompanying the senior, gets a complimentary cup of hot soup and crackers to nourish them and boost their spirits. It can be challenging for many seniors with chronic conditions to go through the regular Ebais clinics in their local area; at every consultation they see a different doctor, usually one recently graduated from medical school, and with only 15 minutes per consultation, the doctor usually doesn’t have time to completely review their history. For specialized tests, patients are sent to different hospitals and clinics, and the appointment dates can be months in the future. Often, test results get lost and have to be repeated. Blanco Cervantes, as it is known, is a one-stop facility for
seniors with its own diagnostic clinic where the patient’s history is thoroughly reviewed at each visit. And most testing is done at the hospital.
The hospital offers an array of specialists, such as gastroenterologists, ophthalmologists, cardiologists, and oncologists. They have their own in-house laboratory, pharmacy, and dermatology clinics; however, unfortunately, they don’t have orthopedic services available. (Some highly specialized testing services may be referred to other Caja facilities.)
Their neurology service is an integral part of what they offer, and their Memory Clinic has been a pioneer in neurological services in the country. There they evaluate, diagnose, and treat those experiencing memory issues, mild cognitive decline, or dementia. Presently there are an estimated 20,000 to 25,000 persons with dementia in this country, but because many people are not diagnosed, that number could be much higher. The memory clinic was established in 2007 by gerontologists Drs. Erik Miranda and Daniel Valerio, and operates using the international protocols established by Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. All cases include testing of blood, kidney, and liver function, electrolyte levels and thyroid function, HIV, and for vitamin B12 or folic acid deficiency. They can conduct a CT brain scan or, when warranted, an MRI.
