Fullerton : Gerontology Center Awarded $21,280 Grant

The Ruby Gerontology Center at Cal State Fullerton has been awarded a $21,280 grant that will help pay for a “wellness” clinic for senior citizens, university officials said.

The grant from the FHP Foundation in Long Beach will be used mainly for medical equipment and personnel for the clinic, which is scheduled to open in the spring, said Dr. Jeffry J. Young, associate director of the center and administrator of the clinic project.

The clinic’s emphasis will be on promoting health by helping older people improve their health and maintain good health through education and proper nutrition.

Nursing students supervised by the university nursing department will conduct health assessments and will enroll clinic clients in educational programs at the university. Clients may also be referred to other university departments for physical education or counseling.

A goal of the clinic’s programs, representatives said, is to teach senior citizens how to manage chronic illnesses, how to assess medications and how to recognize certain diseases in their early stages.