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My mom is 94-years-old and she has Alzheimer's and dementia. And she has a
bad heart. But she's a strong lady. Dad is 94 years of age. We
called him the bionic man, because he's had just a series of medical situations
but he come out on the the top end of everything. So I'd like to listen to your
heart and lungs, okay? I'm gonna get under here a little bit. He's had everything
done from x-rays to dental care and never left easy-chairs. That's amazing! I
You get more information at home, because you really get to see what
people are really doing. You get to see what medicines they're really taking. You get
to see their support system. You get to see what they're eating. You see how they
really are and it's much less stressful for the caregivers and the patient to be
seen at home. I was working and I was worn out. You're better for your loved
one if you're good. Can't get from an empty pot.
It's very fulfilling work. It's very empowering work that the social workers
do with the house calls, patients and caregivers, so it just nurtured me as
well. Oh, look who's here! Hey, Mrs. Brockman! Oh, it's a very intimate
sort of setting, and I would say that supporting the caregiver is just as
important as supporting the patient because often times as you grow older
you have more needs. And it's very important to ask the caregiver how are
you doing? What's going on? Because if that caregiver can't come in and do what
they need to feel like a person, and that they can care for that individual, how
is an individual going to be cared for? So our team is made up of docs,
geriatricians, nurse practitioners, and social workers, and we -- we come out to the
house to take care of whatever problem the patient or family may have. I think
the overwhelming reaction we get is relief. Family caregivers feel relief
that there's someone there for them 24/7 for everything the patient and that
caregiver might need to help their loved one stay at home. That's right. But the challenge
to doing it is to find a really good staff who are dedicated and coordinate all
the services that are needed and then make sure there's enough funding to
support that team to do their work. Some of our current patients have been
in and out of the hospital and they were referred from CSA. So the daughter will
call back and schedule the intake with us. I think we have great communication between the providers. All right. Do we
feel clear in case -- in case this comes up? Do you do you feel like we're all on the
same page? I'm always very comfortable with reaching out to the nurse
practitioner, to the office staff, to the doctor, and saying what's going on here?
Or, do you know more about this? And likewise they feel very comfortable
letting me know about something they're concerned about. We have security
services, if needed, and we will pair up if need be. But for the most part
everybody goes out alone. And we talk about all the patients that are in the
hospital, we talk about patients that are having problems, difficult situations. So
we could we communicate well with each other. The quality of life of the
caregiver is dramatically affected and improved by having this team be
available to them whether it's nursing or medicines or support in the home or
urgent care or hospital care or end-of-life care. We are a one-stop shop
to make sure all of that is delivered to the patient's home.
It was something I knew I had to do, I wanted to do, but I needed help. And just
by that happenstance of a call has opened up a whole new world for me. It's
an epic, heroic journey to age in America. And to be there and to be welcomed to
their home is really -- it's always a little joyous moment. So yeah that's very
it's very special. Oh, such a relief. It's such a relief. And like I said, I
can't describe it. It's beautiful.