Sam had been living alone since his wife passed away five years ago. He was very active in his community and enjoyed living independently. He had two sons, Joe and Henry, who both lived a few hours away but visited him regularly. On a recent visit, both of his sons noticed that Sam was beginning to walk slower and seemed a bit off balance. Joe was very concerned and wanted to talk to Sam about moving in with one of them. Henry knew that Sam liked living on his own and wanted to find a solution that would preserve Sam’s independence while keeping him safe. They were both worried about what would happen if Sam fell or had a medical emergency and couldn’t get help. They lived too far away to check on him daily or respond quickly if anything happened.
When they approached Sam about their concerns, Sam agreed with Henry. He wasn’t ready to give up his house and lifestyle. But he hadn’t realized that his health was a source of stress for his children. Sam wanted to find a solution that would keep them from constantly worrying about him.
Sam reached out to Palm Beach Care Management to see if we could help him find a solution. We were happy to help and provided an emergency care plan that was broken down into two sections: preventative measures and emergency details.
Preventing an Emergency
To get the best picture of how we could help Sam stay safe, we sat down with Sam, Joe, and Henry to listen to their concerns. One of the biggest worries for Joe and Henry was that Sam’s balance seemed off and could lead to a fall. Sam didn’t always carry his cellphone around the house and they were concerned that he wouldn’t be able to get help if he did fall. To address this, the care manager suggested three things:
- A fall risk assessment for Sam’s home, to identify and remove any tripping hazards, poorly lit areas, and install balance aids in necessary areas.
- Scheduling vision and hearing exams to make sure that Sam had the proper prescriptions to help him be aware of his surroundings. The care manager explained that hearing and vision played a large part in the body’s ability to maintain balance.
- Wearing a medical alert device. The care manager told Sam and his sons about a few different options, including one that could alert first responders as soon as it sensed a fall, in case the wearer was unconscious and unable to press a button.
Sam appreciated that these steps would ease his sons’ worries. Henry and Joe felt reassured by the care manager’s professional opinion that Sam was still able to safely live at home.
Emergency Information
The next step in Sam’s emergency plan was collecting the necessary information and deciding the important details in case an emergency did happen. The care manager helped Sam collect any information first responders might need, including:
- A list of medications that Sam was currently taking
- Relevant medical history
- Sam’s allergies, which included penicillin
- Emergency contacts, including the care manager
The care manager helped Sam gather all the information into a clear, concise list and put it into an envelope on the fridge. They also put a copy in Sam’s car and wallet.
End-of-Life Details
When Henry and Joe had brought up their concerns, Sam realized that they were more concerned about him than he had thought. He started thinking: if Henry and Joe were this worried about him in an emergency, how much more stress would they have if he did have a medical emergency or suddenly passed away? Sam began to think of all the different decisions Henry and Joe would have to make and decided to talk to the care manager about planning ahead for the worst-case scenarios.
The care manager helped Sam make educated decisions about his care wishes and connected Sam with trusted local professionals who could help him get his legal documents in order. Among the things the care manager helped Sam arrange were:
- Updating his will and other necessary documents with an estate planning attorney.
- Appointing Henry as his potential guardian and Healthcare Power of Attorney, in case Sam became unable to make decisions for himself.
- Coordinating life and long-term care insurance with an insurance agent, to financially protect Sam if he needed in-home help or assisted living and to take the financial stress of a funeral off of his sons.
- Advance directives, so that Henry and Joe would have guidance on Sam’s wishes if he required additional care.
With all these details in place, Sam felt confident that Henry and Joe would have the information and financial resources they would need to be able to handle any medical emergency. Additionally, the care manager could guide Henry and Joe through any emergency situation and help them make care decisions that aligned with Sam’s wishes. Working with a care manager helped Sam maintain his independence safely while giving his sons peace of mind.
Read more about aging care:
Recent Comments