AUSTIN, Texas —
A South Austin clinic is helping struggling seniors manage their health care.
Leadership at SuVida Healthcare is working to break barriers for Spanish-speaking seniors.
Going to the doctor can be an overwhelming experience, especially if you don't speak the same language. That was the case for Angel Caamano's wife.
"My wife does not speak English well. She needs somebody who can speak to her in Spanish," Caamano said.
He said he's usually there to translate for her, but he appreciates the bilingual staff at SuVida, who give her the freedom to talk directly to her providers.
"It is very helpful for her to be understood and talk in Spanish. That's very, very important," Caamano said.
At SuVida, it's about more than just talking – it's relating to patients' backgrounds.
"You'd be surprised how much just understanding our families or our patients culture will, it'll go a long way," Associate Center Director Vanessa Garcia said. "Through engaging with them in a language that they understand or taking their culture and their habits into consideration"
The clinic hosts open houses and other community events to connect with people in the area.
"It's a privilege to be able to help people that, you know, I relate to people that I can kind of compare to family," Garcia said.
The clinic also has its own lab, so it can be a one stop shop for patients. And each patient has a guide to follow along with their journey and answer questions along the way.
The clinic provides its services in English or Spanish, which Neighborhood Engagement Manager Priscilla Sloan said is vital.
"I wish that we that was around when I took care of my grandfather," Sloan said. "I didn't know any of this stuff. So it was very important for me after him passing that I continue helping our seniors."
Like Sloan, most of the SuVida staff shares in the rich culture and is able to connect on a deeper level.
While the clinic caters to the Spanish-speaking population, SuVida treats everyone.