October 30, 2010 |
Posted By Dr. Deborah Bier | Comments (1)
 We love working with physicians, registered nurses, geriatric care managers and pharmacists as part of a client’s care team. But it happens far less often than we think is most helpful for the client. Everyone is so busy, few see it as their mandate as healthcare professionals — though we certainly do. Inter-disciplinary communication and teamwork isn’t just a “good thing” — it is absolutely vital.
Here is a powerful example of why real teamwork is necessary, and why we at CCC go the extra mile to be in touch, and to put people in contact with other healthcare professionals who can eliminate problems that stem from a lack of teamwork elsewhere. And that is the epidemic of over-prescribing of medications for the elderly. Too many specialists not talking with one another, each prescribing medications that are then not adequately reviewed by the patient’s primary care physician result in lots more drugs than are needed.
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October 29, 2010 |
Posted By Dr. Deborah Bier | Comments (0)
 We do a lot of supervision of our wonderful caregivers. While it’s often thought that only poor employees need a lot of supervision, in this case it’s because our people are so good at what they do, that they benefit from and appreciate this kind of interaction. This generally takes place in three areas:
1) Brainstorming. Bless them, our caregivers are always looking to do things even better. They know that I am always delighted to do creative problem-solving with them to find new solutions and approaches. For example, a client who developed bowel incontinence issues refused to start wearing adult briefs when her family tried to introduce them. Over email, her caregivers and I brainstormed a variety of approaches to the situation that retained her dignity. We tried a few different approaches until we finally found one that worked like a charm. We are proud to say that she is now wearing briefs every day without a problem!
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October 26, 2010 |
Posted By Jim Reynolds | Comments (0)
 2010 Connected Health Symposium - "The Way Forward: Reform's New Focus on Health and Wellness, Independent Aging, Chronic Condition Self-Care and the Tools That Support Them" Last Thursday and Friday I attended Connected Health Symposium in Boston – and I’d like to start by thanking Dr Joseph Kvedar and the Center for Connected Health for organizing what has become one of the industry’s leading gatherings of health care professionals, technologists, venture capitalists, entrepreneurs, and industry analysts focused on using connected technologies to improve health and wellness. Topics ranged from DNA sequencing to remote sensors to allow you to watch mom sleep (which can be more interesting than it may sound). It was professionally productive, intellectually stimulating – and just plain fun. And I shook hands and spoke folks I usually only “see” in the blogosphere.
Personal favorites – no claim made for exhaustive analysis. These are unstructured and impressionistic.
Remote Monitoring
I am always on the lookout for productive home care technology that can improve independence and safety for clients at acceptable prices and risks. Two companies in particular interested me here:
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October 20, 2010 |
Posted By Jim Reynolds | Comments (1)
The post below is adapted from an except of our white paper, Re-Imagining Home Care: New Needs, New Approaches. This is the 4th in a series of of 11 posts.
 Home care agencies should offer online daily reports and photos to keep families up to date. Consider the changes in consumer technology since 1980, and stop to think about how they have changed the way home care agencies can now interact with client families. In contrast to service providers in other industries, home care agencies offer little more than email, if they offer even that. There are many reasons for this – e.g., concerns about HIPAA regulations and the slow pace of physicians’ electronic medical record adoption. But failure to take advantage of the wide adoption of Web 2.0 technologies and social media leaves remote family – a fast-growing component of the senior care environment – in the dark about the status, important changes, and key needs of their loved ones.
Any authorized user, anywhere, can instantly know:
- Login/logout times to confirm that caregivers are on site
- Meals & diet info
- Medications taken
- Hourly log of activities
- Photos taken during the visit
- Quantitative, observable changes
- Qualitative daily report
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This is unnecessary and borders on unforgivable. The technology is inexpensive and widely available. There is no need for remote family to lack any relevant information on a nearly instantaneous basis. Furthermore, access to this information can easily, at the request of the client, be provided to physicians, case managers, Geriatric Care Managers, or other members of the care team to support follow up care decisions.
Caring Companion Connections has developed a proprietary system delivering all the functionality discussed here and more. All our caregivers use it, every day. Completing online reports is a job requirement, not an optional service – and it is included at no charge with all client visits. Upon seeing this system, one of our clients said, “You know, when I leave my dog at the kennel, I know more about what happens to him than I do when I have an aide come to my 84-year-old mother’s condo. I know what my dog ate, when he went outside, who he played with, when he pooped. I see pictures. But I just have to hope the aides show up and until I go to her condo again, I don’t really know what happened.”
In the 21st Century, client families should insist upon web access to daily reports of client visits. Just as they would not choose a bank, an airline, or a retail store that could not provide basic account activity information online, there is no reason to accept this failing from a home care agency. Caregiving staff should carry smart phones or other mobile devices that enable mobile updates. Family members and authorized users should be able to review reports, ask questions, and communicate among themselves regarding the service plan, independent of location. The improved information flow allows family decisions to be made more quickly and ensures that data is available to all interested parties. It reduces anxiety, improves peace of mind, and promotes better care.
 Find out how home care agencies can improve service and outcomes for today’s clients.
The passage above is an excerpt from the introduction of a white paper describing our innovative strategy for 21st Century home care. We will publish the remainder of the paper in a series of posts over the coming weeks. This is the 4nd of 11 planned posts.
Readers wishing to read the complete white paper, click here.
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October 11, 2010 |
Posted By Jim Reynolds | Comments (0)
 On Thursday October 21, at the Concord MA Council on Aging, we will again present our popular talk 21st Century Caregiving: Essentials for Caring for a Disabled or Aging Loved One. Our comments will be followed by a question and answer period.
We have given this presentation several times and it is always well-attended. Come and learn how the new challenges and opportunities of aging in the 21st century can come together to benefit elders and those with disabilities. “21st Century Caregiving: Essentials for Caring for a Disabled or Aging Loved One” is a free lecture and community service. The presentation starts at 7PM at the Harvey Wheeler Center, 1276 Main St, Concord (map).
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October 7, 2010 |
Posted By Blog Admin | Comments (0)
From Minuteman Senior Services
 Minuteman is an active member of the Meal on Wheels Association of America and is proud to help promote Barilla’s Share the Table campaign. By simply visiting www.ShareTheTable.com, you can help end senior hunger now!
Barilla will donate $1 to the Meals on Wheels Association of America (MOWAA), up to $150,000, to support MOW programs across the country every time someone participates. All you have to do is click “Yes! I Do!” in response to the question, “Do you Believe in Meaningful Meals?” Please click here and support MOW!
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Posted By Jim Reynolds | Comments (0)
 Deborah Bier, PhD, is Director of CCHC's Concord office
Find Out What You Should Know about Today’s Home Care!
21st Century Caregiving: Essentials for Caring for a Disabled or Aging Loved One gives you new insights to reducing the stress of caring for loved ones and improving their care.
Learn how the new challenges and opportunities of aging in the 21st century can come together to benefit elders and those with disabilities.
TOPICS INCLUDE (more…)
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October 4, 2010 |
Posted By Jim Reynolds | Comments (1)
The post below is adapted from an except of our white paper, Re-Imagining Home Care: New Needs, New Approaches. This is the 3rd in a series of of 11 posts.
Referring to a senior adult as a “patient” emphasizes a medical relationship with an assumption of illness. Illness care focuses on what is wrong. Wellness, in contrast, focuses on what is still possible, rather than what is lost.
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Serving clients like Ted (see post #2 in this series) has led us at Caring Companion Connections (CCC) to develop approaches to home care with new client requirements in mind. Within this population, nearly all clients have at least some medical needs – a regimen of medications, physical or occupational therapy exercises, diabetes, or similar conditions. Varying stages of dementia take a toll on many. But thankfully, these conditions can often be managed to allow clients to remain engaged in life and living, albeit often with help they have not needed before. (more…)
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October 1, 2010 |
Posted By Dr. Deborah Bier | Comments (1)
 It seems to clear to me after 20+ years as a mental health clinician, plus one year working in this position at CCC, how ignored mental health problems are in the elder population. Ignored, misunderstood, and brushed off as of little importance would be more accurate.
The emotional life of people has long been the “poor stepchild” of medicine, so I’ve seen this problem arise in all ages in my private therapy practice. But the real tragedy of it in the elderly is that for some unknown number of dementia patients, it’s connected with vascular dementia. If they are treated properly with anti-depressants, you not only address both their depression and anxiety, but you might see their whole cognitive picture improve. And that improvement may be dramatic. I’ve seen it happen, and it’s just a great joy to behold.
And even if it’s not a case of vascular dementia, why not treat a very understandable depression and anxiety? If the person is aware that they’re not functioning cognitively, well, it’s enough to make them depressed and anxious. People deserve help in with this. It’s simply a quality of life issue.
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We love working with physicians, registered nurses, geriatric care managers and pharmacists as part of a client’s care team. But it happens far less often than we think is most helpful for the client. Everyone is so busy, few see it as their mandate as healthcare professionals — though we certainly do. Inter-disciplinary communication and teamwork isn’t just a “good thing” — it is absolutely vital. 
