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ElderCare Case Studies
At ElderCare 4 Families, we pride ourselves in designing a unique, customized plan of care for the individual needs of our clients. Below are some case studies that show the helpful ways our caregivers can impact the lives of seniors and their loved ones.
Alzheimer Case Studies Involving ElderCare
Gene was in his 80's with Alzheimer's Disease when his daughter called us. He was living alone and getting more forgetful. He had lost weight and his daughter called about helping with meals and medications. Joan and Owens, his caregivers, started coming daily to his home for 8 hour shifts helping to cook healthy meals and snacks to help increase Gene's weight. They coordinated his refills and doctors appointments and helped around the house with cleaning and laundry. Lisa, his Senior Advocate, visited monthly monitoring his improvement, updating his plan of care and making safety recommendations for his home. His candles were replaced with battery powered lanterns, safety knobs were put on the stove and a battery back-up was installed for Gene's phone and life alert. She even made a schedule for changing air filters and smoke alarm batteries. Gene was a trusting man so Lisa placed his home phone on a no call, no-solicitation list and the caregivers helped monitor Gene's calls to avoid scams. The caregivers drove Gene to his doctor appointments, grocery and outings to keep him active, happy and healthy. Joan even drove the cat to the vet and took care of all its needs. Eventually night caregivers were added when Gene began to need more help. Gene and his cat lived safely and happily at home until his passing. If you know of a person who is living at home and is affected by Alzheimer's disease, please have a family member contact ElderCare 4 Families for a free in-home assessment.
Brain Cancer Case Studies Involving ElderCare
Mike was a 50 year old man with a wonderful wife, three children and a successful career. All of this was about to change. Mike's life was turned upside down with a diagnosis of brain cancer. Quickly, Mike lost the ability to support his family, interact with his kids and help around the house. His wife, Pam, was at her wit's end as she tried to work her job, care for her husband and support her children. A call to Elder Care 4 Families provided much needed relief for Mike, Pam and their family. During an initial visit, Rita, our Senior Advocate, developed a care plan for Mike that included taking him to treatments, preparing meals and coordinating medications. Very quickly, Rita coordinated much needed grab bars for stability, a bedside commode and a wheelchair. Sally, the caregiver for Elder Care 4 Families, took care of Mike's personal needs, prepared family meals and cleaned the house while Mike napped. What a relief for an exhausted Pam when she got home from work. Meanwhile, RIta was able to connect Pam with the Traumatic Brain Injury Fund which provided some financial help and Gilda's Club provided interaction and support from other families going through similar circumstances. As Mike's brain cancer progressed, Elder Care coordinated with a local home health agency for skilled care and referred the family to Hosparus to assist with end-of-life care. The Elder Care 4 Families team was right there with the family until the very end. While this was a tragic story for Mike and his family, Pam was grateful for the care and support from Rita, Sally and the Elder Care 4 Families team. Later she said, "We found ourselves surrounded by angels. You have blessed our lives and we are so thankful." If you or someone you know is going through a time when your life is turned upside down by a traumatic illness or injury, contact the caring folks at Elder Care 4 Families for the support and personal care you need to get through this difficult time.
Managing the Highs and lows of Parkinson's and Bipolar
Carolyn is 81 years old and lives alone at her east-end home. A strong-willed woman, she battles Parkinson’s disease and bipolar disorder every day. Her three children all live out of town, and she is her own POA. To find the appropriate care for Carolyn, ElderCare 4 Families began by assessing her and her home safety. After a thorough home safety evaluation, we were able to identify and correct issues such as unchecked smoke detectors, potentially dangerous throw rugs, and an extremely hot setting on the water heater. We also discovered that, in addition to failing to renew her prescriptions, Carolyn was regularly missing her physician and psychiatric appointments. Nannette, Carolyn’s Senior Care advocate, took the initiative of connecting Carolyn with Tracy, one of ElderCare 4 Families’ certified nurse assistants. Tracy is there for Carolyn 8 hours a day, 7 days a week. Carolyn’s plan of care included medication and appointment compliance, as well as ensuring that she was driven to her physician appointments. To further ensure that her medical needs were met, we implemented a calendar system for prescription refills and physician appointments. Tracy documents each medication daily as it was taken and reports every instance of medication refusals. Mobility had long been a challenge for Carolyn, which is why we encouraged her to seek physical therapy, and assisted her with exercises on other days. Carolyn was assisted in transfers, mobility, and bathing to prevent falls. During manic periods brought on by bipolar disorder, we closely monitored Carolyn’s financial purchases to prevent huge spending sprees. A prepaid credit card was placed in the home to allow Tracy to purchase groceries, prescriptions, and other necessities. Tracy and Nannette made it a high priority to interact with Carolyn during her depressive periods. Tracy and Nannette kept her engaged with life by maintaining personal hygiene schedules and scheduling regular outings to the Opera. Nannette consistently updated with Carolyn’s family and physician with news about Carolyn. If you know of a person who is living at home and affected by Parkinson’s or mental health issues, reach out to one of their family members, or their Power of Attorney, and have them contact ElderCare 4 Families. One of our Senior Advocates will give a free in-home assessment to improve the quality of that person’s life.
Improving Quality of Life for a Health Care Facility Resident
Betty is 96 years old, diabetic, and is in the early phases of Alzheimer’s disease. She has no family, and an elder care law attorney acts as her Power of Attorney (POA). She resides in a skilled nursing facility, and is known for being easy-going and never complaining despite having a hard time seeing and hearing. Betty’s Senior Advocate, Lisa, was hired by her POA. Lisa attends care plan meetings, advocates for Betty’s needs, and visits Betty monthly. Lisa discovered that Betty is a voracious reader, despite her limited vision, and had already read every book at the facility! Lisa began purchasing new books monthly, and even scheduled an eye exam in the hopes of improving her eyesight--resulting in a new pair of glasses for Betty. Audiologists said that Betty had ear wax issues, and that hearing aides were unnecessary. Betty went through several treatments for ear wax before Lisa scheduled an appointment with an ENT for a second opinion. Lisa accompanied Betty to the appointment, where Betty was told that hearing aides would, indeed, be appropriate for her. Betty was subsequently fitted for them and now communicates better with everyone. Lisa advocates for Betty during monthly chart reviews. Betty rarely left her room, so she often missed out on a good deal of activities. Lisa worked with the staff to get Betty more involved, and even had pets visit her in her room monthly. Lisa, facility staff, Betty’s POA, and, of course, Betty, all communicate regularly. Lisa updates the POA on the details and findings of every quarterly plan of care meeting. Lisa shops for Betty when new clothes or personal items are needed. Betty loves her new clothes and books, but especially loves her new glasses and hearing aides: “These new eyes and ears are fantastic and I just can’t thank you enough.” If you know of a person who is living at a nursing facility and could use help in boosting their quality of life, reach out to one of their family members, or their Power of Attorney, and have them contact ElderCare 4 Families. One of our Senior Advocates will conduct a complimentary, no obligation in-home assessment to improve the quality of that person’s life.
Contact Elder Care
ElderCare 4 Families is happy to help provide elder care to seniors you know wherever they call home. Complimentary assessments are offered with no obligation by Elder Care, Personalized care is offered from 1 hour up to 24//7. With over 39 years of elderly care experience in the Louisville and Southern Indiana area, trust Elder Care to care for the seniors in your life. Call us at 502-244-8446 to start receiving elder care services in Louisville.
