Senior Transitions works with our own network of agencies and individuals to help us meet your needs. Included in this network are eldercare lawyers, in-home-care providers, home repair services, certified senior movers, financial managers, financial advisors, and more. Each of these individuals and agencies provide services with the same quality that you have come to expect from Senior Transitions. A few of our services include:
Home Management Services
- Housekeeping
- Laundry
- Yard work
- Pet care
- Assistance with bill paying/personal finances
Nutritional Support
- Grocery shopping
- Meal planning
- Meal preparation
Personal Assistance
- Bathing, Dressing, Personal hygiene
- Transportation for medical care
- Transportation for errands and outings
- Companionship
Other Care
- Assistance with legal matters
- Setting up Power of Attorney—healthcare and financial
- Management of medical bills and long term care insurance
- Assisting with moving: packing, actual move, estate sale
Nursing Home Advocacy
For family members living in assisted living or nursing home facilities nursing home advocacy includes visits to the client, coordinating the care they receive in their community, coordinating their medical/physician care, and general care oversight. The care manager ensures that the staff in the community where they live are made aware when a change in the client’s condition is noted by the care manager in addition the care manager will contact the physician. Helping the staff develop an individualized plan of care, in addition to attending the care plan meetings each facility is required to do, so that the client’s needs are completely addressed. When dementia is involved, it is the expertise of the care manager that can provide additional education and information to both the family and the community staff.
Coordinating Medical Care
Older adults often see multiple doctors as a result of experiencing several medical problems. The geriatric care manager will coordinate the care from each physician making sure that the primary doctor knows what each specialist has done at each visit. Each specialist will be informed of what has or hasn’t changed since the client’s last physician visit. The care manager usually accompanies the client to the doctor, unless the client requests to go alone. In the event that the care manager doesn’t accompany the client, the information will be provided to the physician via a letter accompanying the client or via an email as per instructed by the doctor. Coordinating medical care and nursing care is an important part of what a geriatric care manager does to help maintain a good quality of life for the older adult while providing the family with peace of mind.
The family receives regular communication from the care manager as to how their family member is doing as well as in follow-up after medical appointments. This allows for the family to be up to date on their family member’s medical problems and daily life.
Nursing Care
Once the plan of care is developed, the appropriate services are put into place in order to support the client. These services can include home care to provide personal care, cooking, cleaning, transportation, and companionship. The care manager coordinates the use of these services while providing ongoing assessment and monitoring to determine that the services are always meeting the client’s needs. This ongoing monitoring ensures that the client continues to receive the appropriate care and that any changes the client may have will be quickly addressed by the care manager. Senior Transitions has developed a wide network of individuals and agencies that provide high-quality care. It is by using these agencies that Senior Transitions is able to meet the needs of their clients.
As nurses, the oversight and management of the client’s medical problems provides the client and family with peace of mind that any acute changes will be quickly found and appropriate action is undertaken. The nurse can set up and monitor the medications to determine that they are taken as ordered and monitor for any unexpected reactions to medications. Having ongoing contact with the health care provider can reduce emergency room visits and hospitalizations as problems are found earlier and addressed quickly often before they become an emergency. As a nurse, the care manager can help train the in-home caregiver as to the special needs of your family member.
Counseling and Assessment
In order to determine the needs of each client, a thorough assessment is completed. The areas assessed include a comprehensive look at all medical problems, medications, cognitive assessment, psychological and social assessment, home environment and safety assessment, and financial and legal issues. The concerns of the client and family are discussed in depth. Once the needs are determined and assessments completed, a plan of care is developed in conjunction with the family and client.
There are often many issues needing to be addressed when families are trying to cope with the changing needs of their older family member. Counseling and support are provided to help the family members and clients as they go through these challenging times. Senior Transitions’ staff have expertise in a wide range of aging issues, including managing complex medical problems, Alzheimer’s Disease, and other dementias. This expertise helps them support the family as they travel through the aging maze.
When medical conditions change or develop there is a need for information regarding these health problems. This will facilitate the client’s self-management of the problem, when appropriate, in addition to helping the family understand the problem, the changes that are occurring while assisting with planning for the future. Providing education and support are a key part of the services you will receive from Senior Transitions.