LVPEI Champions Holistic Health Assessments through WHO’s ICOPE Framework at its Centres for Elderly Eye Care

The L V Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI) continues to lead transformative change in elderly health care through its Centres for Elderly Eye Care available at the Kallam Anji Reddy (KAR) Campus, Hyderabad and the four tertiary centres - GMR Varalakshmi Campus, Visakhapatnam; Mithu Tulsi Chanrai (MTC) campus, Bhubaneswar; Kode Venkatadri Chowdary (KVC) campus, Vijayawada; Raja Sekhara Reddy (RSR) campus, Kadapa.

Moving beyond conventional vision care, LVPEI has set a national example by integrating holistic health assessments into routine eye care by aligning with the World Health Organization’s Integrated Care for Older People (ICOPE) framework, developed as part of the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing.

Integrating WHO’s ICOPE Framework

In January 2025, LVPEI launched ICOPE screening through specially trained Ophthalmic Nursing Assistants (ONAs).  Using simple, structured tools, ONAs screen and assess cognition, mobility, nutrition, vision, hearing, and depression.  These screenings help identify early risks such as memory impairment, malnutrition, hearing loss, balance issues, or depression, facilitating timely referrals, and multidisciplinary support.

Fall Prevention Experience Centre

Falls are a leading cause of injury among the elderly, often occurring in bathrooms or on stairs. To address this, LVPEI established Fall Prevention Experience Centres at all of its Centres for Elderly Eye Care. These centres serve as interactive spaces demonstrating practical safety features such as:

These centres educate seniors and caregivers on simple, effective modifications and habits that can greatly reduce fall hazards — regular vision and hearing checks, daily exercise, improved lighting, and accessible home design.

Fall Prevention Week 2025 Activities

During the Falls Prevention Week LVPEI launched a week-long awareness drive for its staff and their families. A series of sessions were also organized in the elderly waiting lounges.  Sessions included:

These sessions not only raised awareness among the elderly and their care givers but also encouraged them to extend these learnings to their households, reinforcing preventive care.

Celebrating the International Day for Older Persons, October 1

LVPEI celebrated the International Day for Older Persons, themed “Older Persons Driving Local and Global Action: Our Aspirations, Our Well-Being, Our Rights.” The celebrations were held across LVPEI Centres for Elderly Eye Care emphasizing appreciation, social connection, and active aging. The day featured:

Commitment to the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing

“Embedding WHO’s ICOPE framework into routine eye care has helped us take a whole-person approach to elderly well-being. Through initiatives like our Fall Prevention Centres and celebrations that value the lives and experiences of older adults, we aim to redefine how ageing is perceived and supported in India.” said Dr Avinash Pathengay, Head - Elderly Eye Care across the LVPEI network, speaking on the occasion of the International Day for Older Persons.