Silver Key host ‘Wellness in Motion Health Bus’: helping elderly residents in the Pikes Peak area

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO)- A non-profit is expanding health care access with free screenings for senior citizens in southeast Colorado Springs. On Tuesday, seniors were able to go inside a new health bus and get their blood glucose levels, sugar levels, and cancer screenings done all at the same time.

It took approximately 15 minutes. Patients walked up, registered, and got to go inside the mobile health unit.

"So we know that prevention is key, and we know that access to care is absolutely impactful in the social determinant of health," said Adrienne Timmons, Director of Health Care at Silver Key Senior Services.

The pop-up clinic opened its doors for the first time outside of Silver Key's headquarters on Murray Boulevard. Timmons said on any given day, Silver Key helps around 1,200 senior citizens per month and with this new mobile health bus, they hope to increase that number. 

"We want to make sure that we are offering holistic care," said Timmons. "So we really just want to give them a place where it's low barrier, they can just come in with their questions they're meant with someone who is understanding and can help support them and really talk to them about meeting their health goals and meeting their health needs. And continuing to support them to come back." 

Timmons said the mobile health partnership with Cigna is a critical asset for people living in southeast Colorado Springs.

"Because we know that this particular area has a higher level of lower income and underserved population, so we are housed here for a specific reason because we really do want to be able to help serve those folks most in need and most vulnerable," added Timmons.

 After seeing how many folks attended the mobile health bus, the non-profit plans on bringing the bus back out more next year.