These services used to be provided in basic healthcare centers, as
follows:
Mental health services provided by the Psychiatric Hospital:
This hospital plays an important and vital role in mental health care for the
elderly of both sexes. It provides its services through specialized clinics
and admission of patients, as well as community care for the elderly.
Specialized medical consultations are provided to the elderly, in particular
intervention services and immediate home care and assistance, which is
provided urgently to patients due to altered mental status, or because the
family is unable to take care of them for psychological or behavioral
reasons. A telephone line that operates during working hours is provided
to facilitate communications between patients and their families.
Health services provided at Muharraq Special Healthcare Center
for the Elderly:
o This Center is affiliated to the Ministry of Health and it provides
comprehensive health, nursing, rehabilitation and social services in
an integrated manner to the elderly patients and those with severe
physical disabilities. The Center offers periodic medical
examination and evaluation of inpatients with the provision of
treatment and appropriate care, as well as supervising the transfer
of patients to other hospitals for acute or intensive care for routine
check-ups. The Center offers periodic regular professional
development programs in the field of geriatrics for health
professionals.
o Due to the challenges faced during the Covid-19 pandemic, the
elderly and long-stay patients were transferred from Muharraq
Special Healthcare Center for the Elderly to eight private hospitals
in 2020-2021. This step was taken because the Center was
transformed into a special center for the treatment and isolation of
Covid-19 patients. Accordingly, integrated teams were formed in
the private hospitals consisting of members of the departments of
administration, rehabilitation, nursing, pharmacy, medical field,
social services, and services provided to the elderly, so that their
needs are best met.
Primary health care centers for the elderly:
o Primary health services are provided to all segments of society,
including the elderly. Such services, namely curative, preventive
and rehabilitative, are easily accessible to the elderly. Family
doctors’ clinics specializing in family medicine and qualified
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