The ignored and undervalued concept of advanced care planning

Last week there was a celebration in my living room. A commercial by a national investment & financial planning company was trying to persuade the viewer to plan for a retirement that lasts as long as 30 years or more. This was the second round of a campaign by this company to encourage Americans to prepare for a long journey through old age.  Hoorah for the healthcare delivery networks & providers who lay witness to the struggles within our communities in assisting older adults to obtain the needed care; whether it be due to financial woes, complex health issues or difficult social issues. Advanced care planning can help alleviate the stress and provide a framework for carrying out a person's wishes and identifying important factors such as caregivers, allocation of funds, end-of-life wishes, accessibility concerns for aging in place and community resources. With the average cost of home health care exceeding $50,000 per year and facility care ranging from $45,000-$90,000 per year, advanced care planning settles into a number one position when discussing retirement plans (Genworth Cost of Care Survey 2013). Professionals specializing in long-term care planning can assist by using a step-by-step method, establishing goals, and guiding a person through decision-making. Eagleview West specializes in long-term care planning. Learn More or Request a Care Planning Session.

The High Value of the Unpaid Patient Advocate

Providing health care is complicated. Getting health care is even more complicated. Health care providers strive to provide high-quality, cost-effective care  under challenging circumstances: Physician shortages, rising costs, increasing demands, decreased reimbursement and high expectations- all at a very fast pace. Emergency rooms move patients through a process of ruling out acute emergencies, admitting for ailments which require aggressive treatment, and caring for all others who often get discharged as quickly as possible, to make room for the next patient. Having a family member or friend available to serve as patient advocate helps improve communication and assists doctors and nurses to have a better understanding of what is going on. Advocates can also help reduce stress with hospitalization, prevent errors, help prevent falls, follow the course of treatment, improve understanding, and plan for on-going care needs. Recently, I experienced a bizarre illness which landed me in the hospital for 5 days followed by another 7 days in inpatient rehab. Now, I'm no stranger to hospitals. I've been a nurse for over 20 years with the bulk of my nursing career being at the bedside in the critical care unit. I've seen it all and I've spent numerous hours talking to family members and other advocates at the bedside. Nurses are grateful for the visitors who help care for their patients-alerting them to potential problems, improving comfort and consoling the patient. Today's healthcare trend is patient-centered care. If care is truly centered on the patient then we all need advocates at the bedside, asking the right questions, alerting the staff to potential problems, fluffing pillows, and consoling the weary-eyed, stressed out person in the bed. It makes life easier for the healthcare professional and the patient. While I was a patient, I was disabled by a profound weakness and problems with coordination to one side of my body. I was dependent on a walker to get out of bed. Numerous times the staff would leave after completing their bedside task, not noticing the walker they just pushed away to the side, out of their way and completely out of reach for me.
I would listen to the nurse call bells going off all day as well as the older, male patient next door who screamed out for help in lieu of using the call bell. It was obvious he rarely had a visitor the 4 days I occupied the bed next door. The last thing I wanted to do was push my call button. I pictured the overworked, busy, tired nursing staff trying to answer the call bells, pass trays, answer phone calls, give medications, talk to doctors, solve problems, discuss discharge plans, admit new patients,  the list goes on.
My advocate was my spouse most of the time. But truthfully, my advocate was anyone who would walk in my room to visit. I would find relief in having a friend or loved one there to help me understand the situation, think of questions I might not have considered, monitor my progress from a different perspective, fetch my walker, cheer me up, and best of all, tell the nurse if I needed anything without pressing that annoying call bell.  An advocate can help improve the relationship between the caregiver and the patient by helping explain personality traits and correct any misunderstanding, essentially helping to prvevent errors.  Patients easily become exhausted due to repetitive question and answer sessions as well as coping with their physical problem and mental stress. My advocate was my unpaid hero. An advocate is highly recommended and considered highly valuable when dealing with the consequences of a hospitlization, major illness, traumatic injury, or onset of chronic illness.


Learn more about the role of an advocate.

Oppportunity knocks this holiday season for reaching a First Goal for Long-Term Care Planning

This time of year offers ample opportunities to gather with loved ones and celebrate the holiday season and initiate conversations of a deeper thought. Sometimes taking the first step is the hardest part. How do you initiate a conversation about long-term care planning with your parents or other loved ones? Start with taking advantage of time sitting around the table or relaxing on the sofa and open the conversation with letting your loved ones know how important they are to you. Next, be honest, you are doing this not only because you care for them but you also see your future and how it relates to your aging parent. Besides, long-term care planning is more than planning for when you are sick. It's about paying it forward, protecting your future and being prepared. It's also about money. Long-term care is expensive. Individuals are often ill-prepared for the hefty price tag,  which exceeds $40,000 per year for the most basic personal care assistance less than an 8 hours per day. Families are often in a pinch, having to find ways to liquidate assets, borrow money, or use their own savings to pay for the care needs of a loved one. Don't let yourself get bogged down with the process. Start with the first step in beginning the conversation and making an appointment to have an hour visit at a later date. Setting a measurable goal will help you achieve this first step. An example of a  way to direct the conversation is to state "I would like to set-up some time to sit down with you and discuss long-term care planning. I would like to set this time up for sometime in the next 30 days." Set the date and time, mark it on your calendars. You have just achieved the First Goal for Long-Term Care Planning. Taking the first step is the hardest part.
Eagleview West specializes in long-term care planning and has a unique 7-Step process for decision-making and conversation guidance. To learn more or get help Call 406-752-LTC1.
 

Tomorrow is Today: One remarkable man's endeavor to use Robotic Technology to assist him with his disability

If you thought robotic vacuums were cool, you are sure to be inspired by how robotics and technology contribute to much more than cleaning the floor. Thanks to pioneers like Henry Evans there is hope and promise for the future of the disabled or chronically ill. The real challenge will be affordability and access as well as trained personnel, or capable loved ones, to help with implementation and maintenance.

National Attention towards recognizing the importance of Memory Screenings

Reps. Waters & Smith Commemorate National Memory Screening Day | Congresswoman Maxine Waters

Eagleview West is a proud participant in the National Memory Screening Day on Tuesday, November 19th, 2013. For the 4th consecutive year in a row, Eagleview West has helped carry out the Alzheimer's Foundation of America's annual initiative to help raise awareness and provide free, confidential screenings by licensed, trained health care professionals. It's not too late to call for an appointment 406-212-0620 or show up anytime between 2-6pm at Prestige Assisted Living, 125 Glenwood Dr., Kalispell, Montana.

Can I screen your memory?

Alzheimer's experts encourage early planning


If you would like to learn more, please send an email to: Jennifer@EagleviewWest.com
 

Health Insurance Q&A 
A helpful website provided by Monica Lindeen, the Montana Commissioner of Securities & Insurance.
If you haven't heard the news, there are a lot of changes as we approach 2014 with respect to health insurance and healthcare in general. Here's a good place to start if you have some questions bugging you about health insurance.