WellMed stages special events for seniors

By Jay Meisel

Meisel@hometownnewsol.com

PORT ST. LUCIE - Port St. Lucie resident Evelyn Shea picked up a remote control last week and swung her arm back as if she were bowling.

Then she swung her hand forward, pressed a button, and on a screen in front of her, a bowling ball knocked down pins.

"It's good exercise," she said about Nintendo Wii bowling, adding that she moves around a lot when she "bowls."

Mrs. Shea participated in a Wii bowling event hosted by WellMed, a medical practice that specializes in providing care to senior citizens and anyone eligible for Medicare.

WellMed frequently holds events, including senior dances and information seminars for seniors, to promote health and social interaction, which WellMed believes helps people stay healthy.

The events are open to all seniors, regardless of whether they are currently patients at WellMed.

"It's a way for us to provide a unique atmosphere for people to become familiar with our services," said Nestor Lacayo, a doctor based in WellMed's Port St. Lucie offices.

WellMed is a physician group based in San Antonio started by George Rapier.

Dr. Rapier expanded the practice to south Texas and Austin and then into Florida with one office in Orlando and four on the Treasure Coast, with two offices in Port St. Lucie and one each in Sebastian and Stuart.

WellMed strives to provide personal quality care to patients, Dr. Lacayo said.

One service appreciated by patients, he said, is that WellMed does its lab work on site.

Patients don't have to travel elsewhere to get tests done and they receive results faster, he said.

WellMed also offers same-day appointments for patients who need to urgently see a doctor.

Doctors are on call 24 hours a day.

For new patients, WellMed provides health screenings, including checking blood sugar and blood pressure.

WellMed will continue having events for seniors, Dr. Lacayo said.

Mrs. Shea said she enjoyed Wii bowling at the event. She said she used to be a good bowler at actual bowling alleys, but she's can't do that anymore because of Parkinson's disease.

Every day, she said, she bowls at home with her husband. Some days, she said, her great-grandchildren bowl with them.

On the Wii, she shows she hasn't lost her bowling skills. In regular bowling, she said, her highest score was 259 out of 300. She's scored 277 on the Wii.

WellMed's Treasure Coast locations are:

.WellMed at Sebastian, 910 Village Square, (772) 581-9551

.WellMed at Port St. Lucie east, 1859 S.E. Port St. Lucie Blvd. (772) 335-4442.

.WellMed at Port St. Lucie west, 513 N.W. Lake Whitney Place, Suite 101, (772) 344-7228.

.Wellmed at south Stuart, 6100 S. Federal Highway, (772) 223-9630.

For more information, go to www.WellMedMedicalGroup.com.