Agenda - 05-18-2010 - 3a - Laserfiche WebLink

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4 pharmacist, and clinical social worker who evaluate patients at the local senior center. The purpose of this clinic is to evaluate the patient's mood, memory, mobility, and fall risk. The goal is to identify the inter-relationships of the 3 M's in the older adults life and mitigate impediments to continued independent living. During the 3M clinic visit, patients meet individually with each staff member. Finally, after reviewing the staffs assessments, the geriatrician meets with the patient and family to address medical concerns, review the team's assessment, and provide a written summary for the patient/caregiver. Immediately following the session, the summary is sent to the primary care provider with afollow-up phone call by the geriatrician. With an emphasis on retaining and/or improving functionality and quality of life, individualized wellness plans may include: physical therapy, exercise classes at the senior center, a review of the person's medications, counseling at the stigma-free setting of the senior center to improve mood, personalized plans for socialization and structure to maximize cognitive functioning and recommendations to consult medical specialists. The Department on Aging occupational therapist and clinical social worker encourage caregivers to participate in on-site caregiver groups, individual or family caregiver counseling, and care planning sessions. After experiencing professional services at a senior center, patients consider the center astigma-free hub for wellness, prevention, and ad-hoc counseling as they age in place. 3. Preventive Home Visits Recognizing in-home aide care as expensive, not sustainable in a mushrooming aging population, and inherently promoting dependency, the Department on Aging's Aging Transitions staff use in-home aides as only one component of amulti-faceted care plan. In 2001, the Department added a new "tool" for patient care, an occupational therapist, first in a county aging agency in North Carolina, whose goal is to maximize client independence. The occupational therapist provides an in-home assessment which includes performing functional and environmental safety evaluations. She then makes recommendations to the client and family for remaining safely and contently within the home environment for as long as possible. In many instances, individuals who believe they need an aide for bathing are instructed in bathroom equipment choices and proper use, thereby salvaging their independence and dignity, plus saving funds. The Department is currently partnering with the University to evaluate the impact of this approach on care costs, enhanced mood, physical functioning, and quality of life. The study focuses on the effects of preventive home visits to at-risk older adults age 75+ living in the community. This is a two-year grant funded by the National Institute on Aging. Approximately 55 community dwelling older adults have been visited by the Department's occupational therapist four times over 12 months to address issues that affect one's ability to maintain activities and occupations, as well as issues that put the participant at risk of decreased function and falls. Our academic-community partnerships also provide much needed geriatric training in wellness and preventive health for students from a variety of disciplines (pharmacy, social work, exercise science, occupational therapy, physical therapy, medicine, public health, nursing, etc) from UNC-CH, Duke, UNCG and NCCU. Data from these programs have been presented at local and national research and professional meetings. Our partnerships were developed to allow us to provide a continuum of care for our clients, institute up to date evidence based practice, and help train a health care workforce to meet the needs of tomorrow's seniors.