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News — HACKENSACK, NJ – The Center for Healthy Senior Living at Hackensack Meridian Hackensack University Medical Center is opening a Lifestyle and a Frailty Program to enhance the overall well-being and safety of older adults. 

The number of Americans ages 100 and older is projected to more than quadruple over the next three decades, from an estimated 101,000 in 2024 to about 422,000 in 2054, according to projections from the U.S. Census Bureau. But a recent survey found that Americans are no longer just looking for ways to live longer: they want to be healthier while doing so. 

“Lifestyle program, like those we are implementing at Hackensack University Medical Center (HUMC), can play a significant role in helping older adults live healthier lives by focusing on prevention, education, and personalized care,” explains , AGSF, FACP, Division Chief of Geriatrics at HUMC. 

The Frailty program will be led by our geriatric medicine specialist , and provide comprehensive screening and treatment services designed to promote healthy aging and maintain independence and successful aging including: 

• Identifying underlying risk factors contributing to frailty.
• Evaluating physical, cognitive, and social functioning.
• Assessing nutritional status and identifying potential interventions.
• Evaluating mood, anxiety, and cognitive function.

“After each patient’s assessment, we then develop personalized plans based on individual needs and goals,”

• Setting realistic and achievable goals for improvement.
• Identifying and addressing modifiable risk factors.

Multidisciplinary Interventions:

• Exercise programs: Tailored exercise programs to improve strength, balance, and mobility.

 The Lifestyle program, led by lifestyle medicine and geriatric medicine specialist will help older adults improve physical, social, cognitive and emotional health and manage chronic conditions by promoting:

• A healthy dietary lifestyle. 
• Physical activity. 
• Restorative sleep. 
• Stress management. 
• Avoidance of risky substances. 
• Positive social connection. 

The lifestyle program will develop personalized plans for individuals by:

• Assessment of lifestyle components using validated tools 
• Assessment of person’s self efficacy,  and barriers  and readiness to change
• Motivational interview and positive psychology 
• Connecting to community resources with help of social workers
• Monitoring and follow ups of progress made 

“Lifestyle programs offer comprehensive health assessments that go beyond traditional medical checkups,” explains Dr. Wagle. “This holistic approach helps identify potential health risks and areas for improvement.” “Studies have shown that it is never too late to work on lifestyle components to get positive outcomes and improve quality of life.”

“Research shows that lack of healthy diet and physical activity, social isolation, smoking and substance misuse in older adults are associated with poor health outcomes — especially for older adults with chronic conditions,” said Dr. Parulekar. “Our new program will allow us to identify areas of concern, deliver comprehensive and patient-centered care from a dedicated team of experts, and connect seniors and their families with resources and support.”

The programs will provide older adults and families with a new opportunity to take proactive steps to maintain optimal brain health — just in time for Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month in June. 

"At Hackensack University Medical Center the Lifestyle Program provides comprehensive patient care focused on enhancing and optimizing patients ability to sustain and build on their mental and physical abilities to preserve quality of life," says Lisa Tank, M.D., FACP, Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, Hackensack University Medical Center & Chief Medical Officer, North Region, Hackensack Meridian Health. 

“The Lifestyle program and Frailty Program are two more ways that Hackensack University Medical Center is demonstrating its commitment to caring for the unique needs of older adults,” said Mark D. Sparta, FACHE, president and chief hospital executive, Hackensack University Medical Center, and president, North Region, Hackensack Meridian Health. “Our goal is to provide seniors and their families with the support they need to stay healthy and vibrant as they age.”

ABOUT HACKENSACK UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER

Hackensack University Medical Center, a 803-bed nonprofit teaching and research hospital, was Bergen County’s first hospital founded in 1888. It was also the first hospital in New Jersey and second in the nation to become a Magnet®-recognized hospital for nursing excellence, receiving its seventh consecutive designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. The academic flagship of the Hackensack Meridian Health network, Hackensack University Medical Center has a five-star rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the highest rating offered by the federal agency’s Overall Hospital Quality Star Rating Program. Hackensack University Medical Center is ranked #1 in N.J. by the annual U.S. 麻豆传媒 & World Report 2023-24 Best Hospital rankings - the only N.J. hospital with the #1 adult and children’s hospital rankings. Additionally, U.S. 麻豆传媒 & World Report ranked Hackensack University Medical Center #6 overall in the New York Metropolitan area and #32 in the nation. The hospital also earned multiple recognitions for high-performing procedures and conditions that include having the following best nationally-ranked programs in NJ: Cardiology, Heart & Vascular Surgery (#42); Pulmonology and Lung Surgery (#24); Geriatrics (#36). Hackensack University Medical Center is the only NJ hospital nationally ranked in Neurology and Neurosurgery (#22), Urology (#27) and Orthopedics (#33) as well as being home to The John Theurer Cancer Center, a premier cancer center in the state. Named to Newsweek’s World’s Best Hospitals 2023 list, Hackensack University Medical Center is also the recipient of the 2023 Patient Safety Excellence Award™ by Healthgrades as well as an “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group. This award-winning care is provided on a campus that is home to facilities such as the Heart & Vascular Hospital; and the Sarkis and Siran Gabrellian Women’s and Children’s Pavilion, which houses the Donna A. Sanzari Women’s Hospital and the Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital, also ranked #1 in the state and top 20 in the Mid-Atlantic Region in the U.S. 麻豆传媒 & World Report’s 2023-24 Best Children’s Hospital Report. Additionally, the children’s nephrology program ranks in the top 50 in the United States. Hackensack University Medical Center is listed on the Green Guide’s list of Top 10 Green Hospitals in the U.S. Our comprehensive clinical research portfolio includes studies focused on precision medicine, translational medicine, immunotherapy, cell therapy, and vaccine development. The hospital campus is also home to the Helena Theurer Pavilion, the largest healthcare expansion project ever approved by the state: The 530,000-sq.-ft., nine-story surgical and intensive care tower is considered N.J. 's first ‘smart hospital’ and houses 24 state-of-the-art operating rooms with intraoperative MRI capability, 50 ICU beds, and 175 medical/surgical beds including a 50 room Musculoskeletal Institute.