Mood, Mobility and Memory Screening Clinic Thrives at Seymour Senior Center
Through a collaboration between the UNC Center for Aging and Health, through the Carolina Geriatric Education Center, the UNC Division of Physical Therapy, the Orange County Department of Aging, and the Seymour Senior Center in Chapel Hill, several programs, including a weekly multidisciplinary screening clinic and falls prevention classes have become a integral and successful part of the Seymour Center's services.
The weekly screening visit includes evaluations about a client’s physical and mental functioning.. While the clinicians cannot provide direct medical care, the results of the screening can be very helpful to the patient and his or her doctor in maintaining good health, wellness, and independence. Usually a follow-up visit is scheduled to answer questions and monitor the client's progress.
The Seymour Center offers a more relaxed atmosphere than the typical doctor’s office. The Center's program offerings include ping-pong, computer training, and Tai Chi. This combination of comfortable, multi-use surroundings and clinical services has been built into the planning of the new county senior centers.
Myra Austin, the Wellness Coordinator at the Seymour Center, says, “Robert and Pearl Seymour, the Chapel Hill couple who summoned personal and community resources to idealize and fund the center, knew from the beginning that they wanted to have some services of UNC’s geriatric faculty in the senior center.
Keeping your balance, in the widest sense, can be difficult for anyone at any age, but when physical balance puts you at-risk for falls and serious injury, the Seymour Center Wellness Clinic can evaluate and improve your situation.
The Mood, Memory, and Mobility Program clinic is usually held Thursday mornings from 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM. Each visit takes approximately one and a half hours from start to completion. The multi-disciplinary team sees four new patients on the first, second, and third Tuesdays of the month. The 4th Tuesday of the month sessions will be held for previously screened patients who desire follow-up attention. An appointment is required. Please call 919-968-2070 for more information and to schedule an appointment for the clinic.
The exercise facilities at the Seymour Center and its equipment are available to Orange County residents for a fee to those aged 55 and older. Applicants must complete a physical function screening done on-site by one of UNC’s Division of Physical Therapy faculty members. Those who don’t pass the screening may be referred to on-site physical therapy appointments so the person may eventually be able to use the center’s fitness equipment and attend classes. For information about the "Get Some Balance in Your Life" classes, including enrollment, call 919-968-2070.
