BOISE, Idaho — A new medical clinic in Boise aims to provide seniors with care many say they have difficulty finding. Keystone Center for Geriatrics, which runs some of the only independent medical clinics for the elderly in the state, officially opened its third location Thursday.
Keystone's new clinic is in a renovated home in Boise's North End neighborhood.
"The home-like environment really facilitates a certain humanity," Geriatrician Megan Dunay said.
The clinic helps people 65 and older or people who struggle with geriatric symptoms, including cognitive impairment, recurrent falls, complex osteoporosis or bone health concerns, urinary incontinence, and functional status impairment, she said.
Dunay said there are not many options for Idahoans with these diagnoses aside from hospitals like St. Luke's and Saint Alphonsus. Keystone takes more insurance, including Medicare and Medicaid.
"In terms of outpatient geriatric practice, we're it," she said.
Jen Yewer became a patient several years ago after her primary care physician retired. She said she had a hard time finding a provider and could not find anyone else aside from Dunay.
She said having a doctor who specializes in aging is especially important to her, considering her family's health history.
"My mother had Alzheimer's; my grandmother had Alzheimer's," Yewer said. "I really wanted a doctor who would be able to recognize early onset or the early symptoms."
Dunay said finding primary care for seniors can be difficult because there are not enough providers in the state and not enough providers that "take Medicare at a regular rate."
Jenny Lingle, who works for Comagine Health — a nonprofit trying to improve health care across the region, said Idaho's "fragmented" system is also part of the issue because people often have to go to many places to get the care they need.
She said more clinics in Idaho, like Keystone, specializing just in geriatrics, will help the state's aging population.
"I think it's going to become more and more of a need," Lingle said.
Keystone will be able to help hundreds more in this new space, Dunay said. The center reached capacity at its Meridian and Eagle locations.
"We're happy to ... be an alternative for these folks and provide as timely access as we can," she said.
To address the problems, Dunay said she is hopeful more people will specialize in geriatrics, considering Idaho has "wonderful" training options.
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