Recently You've Experienced Healthcare or Related Issues
That Have You Questioning Your Level of Ability to Manage the Situation Alone
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How do you make sure that your retirement plans are not affected by health care expenses?
What happens when you can no longer care for yourself or your spouse?
When a health care crises or illness occurrs and you need to make immediate decisions; who do you consult when you don't know what services are available or how how to navigate the system?
What do you do when a care facility tells you you "can't leave"?
How does Medicaid factor into long term care planning?
What about legal needs?
Care navigation provides comprehensive one-on-one counseling, education and planning services in the comfort of your home or via telephone and e-mail for out of town families.. Navigating healthcare encompasses more than just isolated incidents like medical care, illness or a hospitalization. It encompasses outlining a strategy to ensure that you or your loved one can live in an environment and access not only care when needed, but be prepared for eventual issues that occur in all of our lives without having to react under pressure or in a crises. It also ensures that health care expenses won't affect your ability to live day to day. Many people make no plans and have no idea where to turn when issues arise.
What is a Geriatrician?
By Pamela D. Wilson, CSA, MS, BS/BA, CG, The Care Navigator
A geriatrician is a doctor for older adults, like a pediatrician is a doctor for children. People see geriatricians for two main reasons, the first is that they do not want to "get old", and the second is because they "got old". Geriatricians are physicians that specialize in the aging process. They complete training in internal or family medicine and then specialize in geriatrics for one to three years.
They are more likely to listen and to treat complaints that non-geriatricians might disregard as just old age. They are also more up to date on the most recent preventative therapies. They may be able to recommend strategies to delay memory problems or screen for bone density and make suggestions to treat osteoporosis before a fall or other injuries occur.
By Pamela D. Wilson, CSA, MS, BS/BA, CG, The Care Navigator
Many adults I work with often complain about the quantity of medications their physicians prescribe. Admittedly, many take five to ten different medications on any given day. Many previously healthy persons often say that they do not want to take pills or become "pill poppers". This becomes an issue especially when the medications prescribed are important to maintaining physical and mental health. The question we forget to ask is how did we get in this situation in the first place? It could be heredity but more likely it's because we were lax in taking care of our physical or mental health in the first place. No one wants to admit we chose to NOT exercise, to NOT eat healthy, to NOT manage our weight, thus we find ourselves in a situation we don't like.
Some individuals simply become stubborn and refuse to take their medications. Others prefer a more holistic approach which eliminates taking prescribed medications that are really needed. However the choice to take or not take medications relies solely with the individual. We are allowed to make bad choices, how do you think we find ourselves in this situation in the first place. However, we must realize that now in this situation, taking medication is one way to ensure our health does not become worse or to ensure we can at least continue living the way we've always lived.
By Pamela D. Wilson, CSA, MS, BS/BA, CG, The Care Navigator
It has been said that the United States is not a prevention society. We push our bodies until something breaks and then expect a pill or surgery to cure everything. After age 30, our bodies begin to weaken at the rate of 1% per year. This means that by age 60, unless we take steps to prevent the decline, our bodies will be 30% weaker. Prevention can take the form of health prevention or it can be seen as other actions taken to remain healthy and independent. Exercise is a significant action that can be taken to prevent physical decline.
For many of us, not only older adults, taking steps toward preventing the decline of our bodies or accepting preventative isn't easy. Exercise and eating well takes time, attention and work. Most of us "don't need any help" because we're stubborn, set in our ways or just do not want to consider that something else may be better. Think about family, friends or neighbors you know who may not be in the best of health. They may live alone, eat canned soup and frozen dinners, have little social contact and rarely leave their homes - they are just getting by, yet they "don't need any help". Who wants to admit that someone has a better idea or better way of doing things that we?
Your children are trying to take over your life. Recently your husband passed away and although you do have some health conditions you decided you want to remain in the family home. You've hired help to come in to assist with housekeeping, laundry, grocery shopping etc. Your daughter shows up one day and tells you she has arranged an apartment for you at a local retirement community and has a renter for your home. She did this because you had previously appointed her power of attorney and you're shocked because you made your wishes very clear to her. My client in this particular situation immediately went to see her attorney and revoked the power of attorney for her daughter. Not only was she not moving, she was not allowing her daughter to dictate where she would live the rest of her life and how to she would spend her money. There are times when having a child as power of attorney may be helpful, that is until they go too far in making decisions about your life.
Adults Caring For Themselves
