Avenidas (avenidas.org), a local senior center in Palo Alto, CA, hosted a caregiver conference in late October 2017. Brain Support Network volunteer Denise Dagan attended the conference and shared notes from several of the talks a few weeks ago. One of the panels she attended was titled “Don’t Go At It Alone: Navigating Resources for Higher Levels of Care.”
There were three panelists:
* a social worker from Avenidas
* a representative from a local nursing agency
* a representative from the Avenidas adult day health program
Though the nursing aging and adult day health program are both in Northern California, the information shared applies nationally.
Denise’s notes are copied below.
Robin
Notes by Denise Dagan, Brain Support Network Volunteer
Panel Topic: “Don’t Go At It Alone: Navigating Resources for Higher Levels of Care.”
Avenidas Senior Center Caregiver Conference
October 21, 2017
The first panelist was Emily Farber with Avenidas.
Her first tidbit of advice for caregivers was to keep a checklist of things you need to do. Mark items off as you get them done. This helps keep your mind focused on action items, rather than swirling with all your care recipient’s needs – both present and future.
She also reminded caregivers that members of their caregiving team can include:
– long distance members to help with things like taxes, insurance phone calls, online banking, etc.
– a Geriatric Care Manager. A professional whom you hire to keep track of and organize your care receiver’s medications, appointments, specialist referrals, second opinions, etc.
Avenidas does provide geriatric care management.
– home care agency.
The second panelist was Melissa Fisher from Nurse Registry, a private pay nursing service.
In the Bay Area, Nurse Registry provides only licensed, skilled Registered Nurses (RN) at $95/hour or Licensed Practical or Vocational Nurses (LPN or LVN) for $75/hour, both with a 2 hour minimum.
Infusion therapy must be performed by an RN. Otherwise, both licensing can perform the same tasks.
They are usually hired as supplemental to a home care agency. [This is partly because in CA (and many other states) the Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) that home care agencies send to help with bathing, dressing, etc. are not licensed to dispense mediation. Unless family or friends are available to fill medicine trays for in-home care, an LPN/LVN or RN must be hired to do so.]
Nurse Registry is also an excellent resource for:
– Post-operative care at home as an alternative to a rehab or subacute facility.
– Education of in-home medical care until the family gets the hang of injections, oxygen tanks, IVs, etc.
– Hands on care for times when family is unavailable (nights, working hours, etc.)
The last panelist was Tom Pamilla, the director of Avenidas Rose Kleiner Center.
Tom gave a short talk on the benefits of having your family member attend Avenidas Rose Kleiner Center. Avenidas Rose Kleiner Center is an adult day health program as opposed to an adult day program.
Both types of programs provide social stimulation and supervision, but Avenidas adds:
– Nursing
– Physical therapy
– Occupational therapy
– Speech therapy
In addition Avenidas has a social work staff that helps caregivers by:
– Helping caregivers develop a care plan for the Avenidas participant.
– Running support groups for long term caregivers.
– Providing a back-up plan for supervision of care recipients, and caregiver respite.
Because Avenidas Rose Kleiner Center follows an adult day health program model, they are able to accept participants who are blind, frail, at high risk for falling and with dementia.
A typical day at Avenidas Rose Kleiner Center begins with receiving participants who are either dropped off by family or arrive via VTA ACCESS Paratransit program. Staff serves a light breakfast, followed by either a discussion of current events, a travel log, artwork or a visit from the neighboring preschool children, then they serve lunch followed by a musician or other entertainment before being picked up by family or VTA.