The elderly in Manhattan are at a greater risk for some of the most common health concerns. This specific population is expected to make a 57% increase between 2000 and 2030. The number of New Yorkers aged 65 and over make up a larger share of the state’s population than ever before.
With so many elderly people in Manhattan requiring healthcare services, more organizations are beginning to start mobile care clinics to provide healthcare.
At AVAN Mobility, we’re aware of the barriers people face in receiving healthcare services. We know that the elderly population has a more difficult time seeking healthcare due to physical limitations and limited resources. We’ve been manufacturing mobile care clinics for over 10 years to help organizations like yours reduce barriers like this one, among many others.
In this article, you’ll learn about mobile care in Manhattan, New York. We’ll talk about our Mobile Clinic Vans, and highlight some of the organizations already providing mobile healthcare services for the elderly population.
What is mobile care in Manhattan?
Mobile care for the elderly in Manhattan is all about bringing healthcare right to the doorstep of senior citizens. It’s a special service designed to make it easier for older folks in Manhattan to access medical attention without the need to travel long distances.
Mobile care is important for several reasons:
Convenience: Imagine you’re an elderly person living in Manhattan. Going to the doctor’s office can be a hassle. Mobile care takes away the hassle by sending doctors and nurses to the home. It saves time and energy.
Personalized attention: Mobile care providers in Manhattan focus on the individuals. They take their time to understand their unique health needs.
Preventive care: Mobile care teams also help the elderly stay healthy. They provide regular check-ups and give advice on how to keep well.
How mobile care works in Manhattan
Mobile care teams operate from mobile healthcare vans equipped with medical equipment.
Here’s a closer look at how it works:
Appointment: The individuals schedule an appointment with a mobile care service in Manhattan. They’re often just a phone call away. Some mobile care clinics don’t require appointments to be scheduled. Patients can simply approach the mobile clinic for medical attention.
Visit: If appointments are set up, on the scheduled day, the mobile care van comes directly to the senior’s home. They don’t need to worry about driving to a fixed healthcare clinic.
Check-Up: The medical team checks their health, discusses any concerns, and provides treatments if necessary. They can even deliver medications right to the doorstep.
Follow-up: If needed, someone from the mobile care team will schedule follow-up visits to make sure the patient is doing well.
Mobile care in Manhattan goes beyond basic medical check-ups. Depending on your organization, it can offer:
Mental health support: Caring for emotional well-being is just as important as physical well-being. Mobile care teams provide counseling and support for seniors in Manhattan.
Community connection: They can connect the elderly with local senior centers and activities to keep them engaged.
What organizations in Manhattan provide mobile care for the elderly?
There are a couple of organizations in Manhattan that provide mobile care with mobile health units.
Memorial Sloane Kettering’s Mobile Health Unit
Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK) runs a special Mobile Health Unit. Since it started in December 2021, it has done over 100 events, helping more than 1,200 people. They’ve also teamed up with 40 organizations. This unit gives essential services to seniors, like health checks, and it’s great because its staff can talk in English and Spanish.
Some studies show that mobile healthcare vans can really help people. For example, from 2014 to 2019, more than 32,000 women in New York City got free breast screenings from mobile units. This was especially good for Black and Hispanic women and those without health insurance. These kinds of programs help make sure everyone gets the healthcare they need, including our elderly folks.
Community Healthcare Network
Community Healthcare Network has mobile care vans that go around Manhattan and Queens. They visit community places every week in Manhattan, Queens, the Bronx, and Brooklyn. This helps seniors and others in areas where healthcare is not easy to find.
This non-profit organization helps over 80,000 New Yorkers, including seniors. They offer important healthcare like check-ups, dental care, nutrition help, and wellness programs. They treat everyone fairly, no matter where they come from or how much money they have. For seniors in Manhattan, these vans make sure they can get the healthcare they need to stay healthy.
DocGo
DocGo leads proactive healthcare in Manhattan, benefiting the elderly. They have a team of 6,000 medical professionals to provide caring and efficient healthcare. Their aim is to keep patients and their families out of the hospital.
DocGo’s services benefit the elderly in a few ways:
Easy access: DocGo’s mobile units bring healthcare where it’s needed, making it simple for elderly Manhattanites to get top-quality care.
Savings: 30-50% of their patients use Medicaid or are uninsured, saving on healthcare costs by avoiding unnecessary hospital visits.
Eco-friendly: DocGo prioritizes fuel efficiency, paperless work, and electric vehicles, helping the health of the planet.
DocGo isn’t just about healthcare; it’s about enhancing the well-being of Manhattan’s elderly while helping the environment.
What vehicles are used for mobile care in Manhattan?
Mobile medical units come in various sizes and styles, utilizing different platforms. These units range from compact models like the Ram Promaster to large 53-foot semi-trailers. The key is selecting a platform that’s dependable and tailored to your team’s specific requirements.
Here are some common choices for mobile medical vehicles:
- Van styles: Van styles include the Ram Promaster, Mercedes Benz Sprinter, and Ford Transit.
- Cab and chassis: These range in length from 16 to 28 feet.
- Step van trucks: Step van trucks range in length from 16 to 24 feet.
- Commercial RV platforms: These platforms range in length from 30 to 45 feet.
- Cutaway vans: Cutaway vans are between 14 and 18 feet.
- Trailers: Trailers are another option to consider for mobile medical units and require a truck to tow them.
Selecting the right platform ensures that your mobile medical unit is both reliable and suited to your specific needs.
What’s the best vehicle for mobile care for the elderly in Manhattan?
Manhattan’s streets are known for being bustling and crowded. The city is famous for its busy streets, such as Broadway, Times Square, and Wall Street, which are often filled with people, vehicles, and various activities.
When it comes to providing mobile healthcare for the elderly in the streets of Manhattan, the Mobile Clinic Van stands out as the top choice. Why is it the best option? Well, maneuverability is key in congested and narrow streets, and you need something smaller and more compact to navigate them with ease.
At AVAN Mobility, our Mobile Clinic Van has a wheelbase of 159 inches, making it just the right size to navigate the city’s streets smoothly and efficiently. The Mobile Clinic Van is vital for elderly healthcare in Manhattan.
The van is like a doctor’s office on wheels, perfect for one-on-one care. It reduces health disparities by bringing healthcare directly to patients.
It’s clean and hygienic, with easy-to-clean surfaces and bright lighting for visibility and comfort.
Plus, it has power outlets, a fridge for medicines, and even a sink. This van is a lifeline in busy Manhattan, making healthcare easy and accessible for the elderly.
John’s life-saving visit from the Mobile Clinic Van
Let’s look at an example of how your organization can use a Mobile Clinic Van to serve elderly patients in Manhattan.
Picture this: John is an 80-year-old Manhattan resident who’s seen the city change over the decades. For him, going to the doctor’s office became increasingly challenging as age caught up with him. The busy streets, the long waits for buses, and the heavily-crowded clinics were overwhelming.
One day, John heard about an organization with a Mobile Clinic Van from his neighbor. He wasn’t sure what to expect, but he decided to give it a try and schedule an appointment. The next week, the van arrived in his neighborhood right in front of his house, and John made his way there with the help of his walker and a friendly nurse who greeted him by name.
As he stepped into the van, it felt like a cozy doctor’s office, and John instantly felt at ease. He had his checkup, received new medication, and even had a nice chat with the nurse. It was a personal touch he hadn’t experienced in a long time.
The Mobile Clinic Van made John’s life so much easier. He didn’t have to struggle with public transportation or endure long waits anymore. It was like having a caring friend visit him regularly. John’s health improved, and he found comfort in knowing that the Mobile Clinic Van was just outside of the house, ready to lend a helping hand.
For John and many other elderly Manhattanites, the Mobile Clinic Van isn’t just a vehicle; it’s a symbol of care and compassion in the heart of the city.
What’s next?
You came to this article trying to learn more about mobile care for the elderly in Manhattan, New York. You learned about how mobile care works and some of the different organizations that provide it. Lastly, you learned about some of the different types of vehicles that organizations use for mobile care.
We gave you a glimpse of our Mobile Clinic Van and some of its benefits in providing healthcare for the elderly. At AVAN Mobility, we manufacture vehicles that are accessible to everyone. No task is too large for us, and we can customize your mobile care van with your organization’s needs in mind. If you have any questions for us, talk to a commercial mobility expert today.
At this stage in the process, you should read our article on the top 5 tips on how to start a mobile medical clinic. This will give you a better understanding and a higher success rate as you begin your journey in providing mobile medical care.
After that, read our article on how to choose a mobile medical van. And finally, you should also read our article on mobile medical van customization to get a better idea of what’s possible with these innovative vehicles.
