What a 100th birthday taught me about caring for seniors

According to an Aging Well in America survey conducted by Morning Consult, more than half of seniors don’t see their primary care provider regularly — and that worries me. Routine visits help identify health concerns early, and support everything from managing chronic conditions and maintaining mobility, to mental health and social needs.”

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OPINION — When one of my patients recently reached the remarkable milestone of turning 100, our care team invited him in for a special celebration. As is his nature, he expressed appreciation, but truth be told, we were the grateful ones.

We feel fortunate not only to share this special moment with him, but to have been by his side for his health journey for as long as we have.

That’s because primary care isn’t just clinical, it’s personal.

National Primary Care Week, Oct. 5-10, is a great chance reflect on the relationships my colleagues and I have built with patients, and the difference it makes in the health of our community’s seniors. 

Why personalized senior primary care matters

Nearly 1 in 5 Arizonans are older than 65, and the percentage is nearly the same in Mesa. As we age, we deserve the opportunity not just to live longer, but to live those years well. And while there’s no single prescription for longevity, I believe strong senior primary care can help Arizonans live better, longer.

Relationships are key to strong senior primary care. Trust built through long-term connections between clinicians and patients can determine whether patients show up for visits, follow through with preventive screenings and share symptoms they might otherwise be embarrassed or hesitant to disclose.

According to an Aging Well in America survey conducted by Morning Consult, more than half of seniors don’t see their primary care provider regularly — and that worries me. Routine visits help identify health concerns early, and support everything from managing chronic conditions and maintaining mobility, to mental health and social needs.

Connecting the dots over time

As primary care providers, we have a front-row seat to our patients’ health year after year, which is particularly important with seniors. Clinicians can connect the dots. When I see a patient annually, or a few times a year, I get to know their baseline and can more easily recognize when something has changed.

That familiarity, combined with regular visits, helps us notice changes that otherwise might be easy to miss — such as unexpected weight changes, new difficulty with balance or mobility or even a patient who seems quieter, less engaged or just not themselves. Sometimes, these subtle shifts can be an early sign that something is affecting their physical or emotional health and deserves a closer look.

The bigger picture of healthy aging

We go beyond a patient’s blood pressure and medication list. I learn about my patients’ lives outside our office — their access to nutritious food, reliable transportation, safe housing and social connection, all of which can affect physical and mental health. When we know our patients well enough to ask about these things, and they trust us enough to answer, we can better understand and support their unique needs.

Often, that starts with something simple: Knowing what matters to our patients, noticing when they don't seem like themselves and being there to celebrate life’s milestones together.

For my patient, that milestone was his 100th birthday. This National Primary Care Week, my hope is that through strong primary and preventive care, we can help more seniors in Mesa and throughout the Valley stay healthier and keep doing the things they love with the people they love for as long as possible.

Ajitha Nair, FNP is a family nurse practitioner in Mesa. Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.