Qualifying Part 2 – The Clinical Review

Qualifying Part 2 – The Clinical Review

In the last post we discussed the aspects of qualifying residents from the financial perspective.  Today we will discuss the second area that we use to qualify a prospect which is from a clinical aspect.  In the states in which we operate all residents coming into assisted living have to be deemed appropriate by a physician.

Often the physician can or will consult with the admitting community about what the prospective resident may need for proper care.  Many times our nurses and or Directors will speak with the doctor directly to properly understand the residents clinical needs.

In many cases a diagnosis of some form of dementia is present.  The key is the severity

of the dementia mild, moderate or severe.  This is many times a difficult component to plan for.  Everyone is different and we have discovered that some individuals with mild to moderate dementia function quite well in assisted living.  On the other hand we have had individuals with mild to moderate dementia who have a difficult time functioning in the same environment.

If the resident and the family agree for those that are having difficulty, many times the use of temporary sitters and interventions programs available through home health prove to be very successful.  At times families or loved ones don’t fully understand Mom or Dad’s condition until examination and admission forms are starting to be put together.    This will be discussed further when we discuss the social aspect of resident admission with our next post.

This day and time medication management is probably the most important area that has to be manage.  Many residents are on multiple prescriptions sometimes numbering a dozen or more medications a day.  Managing this medication is critical to both the care and safety of the resident.  It is important for the family and or responsible party to realize that medication packaging is the key to successful medication management.  Be sure and speak with whatever community you choose to thoroughly understand how the community packages and distributes their medications.  

It is good to note that medication management programs often cost slightly more than you traditional pharmacy however it well worth the cost.  The care of your loved ones should not be negotiable.  Ask a lot of questions and thoroughly understand what the community has to offer the care of the resident.  It is also a good time to become more involved with your loved ones physicians and practitioners.  

Every one realizes that this is a difficult time for all parties involved, emotions can run unbridled and many times families are pushed to the limit even with each other.  Build a relationship of trust with your provider of choice and then work together for the best outcome. 

    


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