Director's Message September 24, 2021
VAPIHCS Veterans, September is Healthy Aging Awareness Month, dedicated to empowering older adults to live healthier, happier lives. This week is also National Assisted Living Week.
As the largest integrated health care system in the U.S., we serve a Veteran community that trends older and has more complex health issues than the overall population. We are proud to have innovated to meet the health and related social needs of older Veterans, putting us ahead of the curve and making us a national leader in Geriatric and Extended Care.
Another thing I’d like to promote for Healthy Aging is our Gerofit program. There are exercise videos online created by staff from our program. It is free to all Veterans.
Our Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Centers build knowledge in geriatric care through research, develop innovative clinical models of care and provide training and education on best practices in caring for older adults. Our Geriatrics & Extended Care Data & Analysis Center advances elder care by collecting and analyzing data related to aging and frail Veterans, allowing VA to make informed decisions on how to continue offering high quality programs and services. Some efforts focus on helping Veterans age at home. Research shows that aging at home has physical, psychological and social benefits, including familiarity of surroundings, comfort of home, keeping connected to social networks and maintaining independence.
These are just some examples of how VA is a leader in both elder health care and promoting increased independence for aging Veterans. Our models for elder care, support for caregivers and continued research have demonstrated improved health outcomes for Veterans.
One Team, One Ohana!
Adam M. Robinson, Jr., MD, MBA, CPE
Director, VA Pacific Islands Health Care System
VADM, MC, USN, (RET)
36th Surgeon General, USN
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