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April 2006
In this Edition:
- New Hurricane Planning Service Offered
- Concierge Care is Breaking New Ground in Home Healthcare in South Florida
- Tips for Summer Health
- The Struggling Family
- The Grieving Family
New Hurricane Planning Service Offered
As of April this year, we at Rona Bartelstone Care Management & Home Healthcare have been
offering a new hurricane preparedness planning service to seniors and others who are
vulnerable during hurricane season.
The purpose of the service is to help people better prepare for their needs during and
after a storm. This new service reflects the successful planning that Rona Bartelstone’s
Care Managers have been doing for years with their regular clients. Last year after Wilma,
only two clients were in vulnerable circumstances after the storm, and both situations
were resolved within 24 hours.
Hurricane emergency preparedness planning is also for anyone who needs assistance in
making arrangements for themselves or their loved ones, whether their plan is to remain
at home or to evacuate.
Here’s what the service package includes:
- Providing a needs assessment and the development of an emergency plan, which might involve supplies for remaining at home or help with signing up for a special needs shelter, hotel, hospital care or travel out of town
- Making arrangements with the individual(s) and communicating them to their family or other out- of-state emergency contact
- Coordinating and purchasing emergency supplies for people who need help accessing them
- Remaining in contact during a hurricane watch with all who have signed up to assure that their emergency plan is properly implemented as well as making sure emergency contact are prepared for the storm;
- Calling or visiting all clients as soon as possible after the storm to assure clients’ safety and well being. We will also be attempting to reach family members and take steps to address any needs that have arisen during and after the storm.
Given the nature of storms, we encourage clients to sign now so that they can be prepared
early and have all the information and resources needed after the storm passes.
The National Hurricane Center predicts that we are in a cycle during which we can expect to have many more
storms each season and that some of the storms are likely to be severe. You can rely on the experience
of Rona Bartelstone Care Management & Home Healthcare to help people through the season in a manner
that will not leave them stranded. For more information, please call 954-967-8999 or visit www.rbacare.com
Concierge Care is Breaking New Ground
in Home Healthcare in South Florida
Ever wish that there was a home healthcare company that really
catered to the needs of your clients and family? Now there is…Rona
Bartelstone Care Management and Home Healthcare has created
a new platinum level of its home healthcare service to meet the
needs of the most demanding and sophisticated clients.
Our Concierge Care service
goes the extra mile to assure that clients receive a catered level
of care that exceeds the abilities of most private home healthcare
providers.
This includes:
- Two hours of free care management services to assure that
services are customized to the unique needs of the individual
and the household. This free assessment is arranged at the
client's home, at a convenient time and provides review of
the client's needs, requirements, health and safety.
- This results in a customized plan of care that is specific to the client's specific lifestyle, schedule, dietary preferences and health and safety needs.
- Concierge Care team members who work in the home with the
client are assigned based upon the free in-home assessment
of the care manager and the desire to match the skills
and personality of the worker with the client.
- Concierge Care team members have additional training and mentoring from highly experienced home care nurses, our care manager and their own peers in areas such as:
- Effective communication
- Understanding the special needs of clients with health issues
- Relationship building
- Working in a team with the family and the agency staff
- Problem solving skills
- Etiquette and presentation
- Concierge Care clients have more frequent contact with the agency's director of nursing to assure satisfaction with the services
- Concierge Care clients can rely on a team of providers to assure that long term care needs are met in a manner that is consistent with their preferences and lifestyle.
Process:
The first step toward using the Concierge
Care program is to speak with one of our home healthcare intake
workers who will go through an initial discussion with you, your
family or your client to get an understanding of the type of service
that is desired. This will include a discussion of the personal
care that needs to be provided, but also other details that will
help us begin to think about the best match between the client
and the worker.
The first person that goes into the home of the client is the
Care Manager to do the free assessment and develop
the plan of care that will be used by the home care worker on
the job. This meeting will be scheduled at the earliest time that
is convenient for the client. The care manager will focus on the
issues that make the difference between care and great
care. These include the things that relate to the personality
and lifestyle of the care recipient. This information is used
to assure that we can select the best home healthcare worker for
this environment and to coach the caregiver to assure that the
relationship starts out strong and continues to grow.
Once the home healthcare worker is assigned, the Care
Manager will orient her to the client and his or her lifestyle
preferences. The Care Manager will assure that the home healthcare
worker has an excellent sense of the expectations and how best
to work with the client and family.
Once the relationship between the home healthcare worker and the client is created, the Director of Nursing (DON),
along with our visiting nurse will assume the on-going management responsibilities of the care. This will mean
regular telephone contact by the DON with the home health care worker and the client, in addition to periodic RN
home visits that depend upon needs and any insurance requirements. Additional Care Management services can always
be purchased separately by the family if there are on-going social and emotional issues that require support.
The Concierge Care program is successful because of careful selection and training of the home healthcare worker
and the team that works with her. The home healthcare worker is continually supported and coached about the specific
needs of each client so that the care is truly customized to each household. We put you first to assure the platinum
level of care.
Tips for Summer Health
The beautiful South Florida summer is almost upon us and it is
important that you take certain precautions to ensure your health.
It’s especially important that older adults stay cool during hot days
since high temperatures can aggravate existing medical conditions.
Be sure to check on older relatives and neighbors frequently—and offer
assistance—during hot weather.
There are several steps you can take to prevent
heat-related illness. The following are just a few
steps you can take:
- Stay well hydrated by drinking lots of water and
water based drinks such as iced tea; Gatorade or
other flavored water
- Avoid extended exposure to the sun and always
use sun screen
- Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes
- Avoid exercising outside at dusk and dawn, which
might be more comfortable temperature-wise, but
also when there are more mosquitoes and other biting
insects
- If you limit your physical activity in the summer,
remember to cut back on the sweets
- Remember to do something that you love
everyday, whether it is a hobby, volunteer work,
talking to a friend, writing a letter, reading, exercise,
meditation or whatever helps you to find calm and
peace
The Struggling Family
Mrs. G's daughter called requesting care management services for her mother
because she was "beside herself" with worry and despair. Mrs. G was an 80-year-old
widow living alone in her condo and calling her daughter with complaints, concerns,
fears and worries several times each day. Mrs. G had always been challenged in managing
her relationships. She had a brother with whom there was no relationship and a son
with whom she had not spoken in many years.
When Mrs. G called her daughter several times each day, she would complain that there
was no food in the house, she hadn't been eating and she couldn't remember if she had
taken any of her many pills. She was isolated and alone and feeling very afraid. Despite
her anxiety and fears, she didn't trust people, and the daughter characterized her as
someone who "fights with everybody." Because of this, Mrs. G's daughter didn't have
much hope for the care management service or the ability to provide home healthcare.
Care manager Gail Edelman approached Mrs. G. in a very low-key, empathic manner and
initiated a social connection by stressing the areas of their lives that were similar.
Because of her non-threatening manner, Mrs. G began to easily share her concerns about
health issues. These included complaints of dizziness and feeling faint, combined with
her uncertainty about which of the 30 pills she should be taking! Ms. Edelman's manner
helped Mrs. G feel in control of her own situation and to work with the care manager
instead of feeling that it was an imposition.
As a result of this gentle, non-threatening approach by Ms. Edelman, the client allowed
Ms. Edelman after only a few visits to take her to the doctor for a review of her medications.
She was also able to inquire about new medication for Mrs. G's stress, anxiety and paranoia.
Mrs. G gradually developed a trusting relationship which enabled the Ms. Edelman to introduce a
home healthcare worker. This also resulted in the client agreeing to stop driving once she
had the aide who could take her out.
Having the support of her care manager and the home health aide enabled Mrs. G and her daughter to
have a less stressful relationship. Ms. Edelman also helped the daughter to learn how to set
appropriate limits on her conversations with her mother that were too disturbing and non-productive.
The daughter calls her mother's care manager a "miracle worker" for helping to ease an untenable
situation and enable her to care for her mother without all of the anger, stress and burnout!
The Grieving Family
Mr. B was also a long distance caregiver, who was very close to and concerned about his
92 year old mother. As Mr. B began to recognize the increasing memory loss and physical
frailty of his mother, he became more anxious about her care and her safety. There were
health issues that resulted in regular hospitalizations, but Mr. B could not keep track
of her needs because of her memory loss and the extremely private nature of her personality.
When Mr. B contacted Rona Bartelstone Care Management & Home Healthcare, he was concerned that
his mother's private personality would make it impossible for us to help him and his mother then
and into the future. Care manager Barbara Harris approached Mrs. B in a very non-threatening,
social manner. The relationship progressed slowly through grocery shopping visits, then doctor
appointments, to issues around health, safety and household management over a period of months.
During this time Ms. Harris was able to keep Mr. B informed about his mother's cognitive, functional,
medical and safety needs, so that they could address the challenges together. Gradually, Mrs. B began
to consider the Ms. Harris as she would a dear friend.
As the years passed, Ms. Harris was instrumental in managing Mrs. B's health care needs, so that
the son had peace of mind that everything was being addressed and monitored in a professional manner.
Gradually, it was possible to introduce an aide, who also developed her relationship with Mrs. B very
slowly under the guidance of Ms. Harris. This was especially challenging because it became necessary
to help Mrs. B with the intimate tasks of bathing and dressing, in addition to nutrition, safety, doctor
appointments, medication reminders and social outings. Ms. Harris worked closely with the aide to manage
any concerns that arose, and she worked closely with the son to keep him informed and to help him plan
for future needs.
As Mrs. B became more frail and forgetful, Ms. Harris encouraged the son to explore the possibility of
assisted living for his mother. He was hesitant to consider this, as were other members of the family.
However, Ms. Harris was able to introduce him to a number of appropriate facilities that would better
meet his mother's needs than remaining at home. Ms. Harris worked closely with the family to educate
them about assisted living and to distinguish it from nursing home care, which they all feared.
When the placement was finally made, it turned out that Mrs. B enjoyed a better quality of life in this
community then she had at home. Ms. Harris stayed involved as the care manager to assure that she was
getting good care and to provide emotional support, information and guidance to her son. Even when Mrs.
B's memory became so poor that she no longer knew Ms. Harris' name, Mrs. B always had a big smile on her
face when she saw her care manager, referring to her as "my old friend."
After his mother passed away at the age of 97, Mr. B wrote a beautiful letter to Rona Bartelstone Care
Management & Home Healthcare stating that he felt, "the care manager's service and relationship with him,
his mother and her doctors was invaluable." He further stated that, "he will always remember the care
manager as being the caring, sensitive professional he counted on to provide the special compassionate
care for his mother."
Mr. B continued his contacts with Ms. Harris for a short time after the death of his mother to help him
with his grief. He had come to consider Ms. Harris as his "old friend" too.
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