Source: CareManagerNJ.com
For families in Burlington, Camden or Gloucester counties that are caring for a loved one with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, some free help is on the way.
Lifespan Care Management, a health advocacy company in Haddonfield, does privately paid medical case management services for the families of the elderly and chronically ill. Services include attending doctor visits, care conferences, insurance coverage appeals, medical record reviews and general problem solving on behalf of clients and their families.
Lifespan Care Management now offers no-cost support services for caregivers in the home. The goal is to enable optimal function for the patient to keep him or her out of the hospital or a long term care facility.
In order to receive the support, the patient must live at home and the primary caregiver must be a member of the family. Additionally, the caregiver must have a smart phone, and must complete a brief daily survey to provide feedback on a required phone app designed to maintain cognitive function.
“The costs of dementia care can be burdensome to families and insurers, so anything that can be done to address any attendant health issues that would cause an expensive hospital admission is a plus,” says Mike Newell, Lifespan Care Management’s president. “Caregivers to those with dementias are truly heroes, and this is a way to provide them with some help, while hopefully keeping their loved one in the home.” Participating families will receive:
• A personal health coach who will visit the home and do an assessment for dementia and fall risk;
• A smart phone app and instructions on how to use it to assist the family member to maintain cognitive function;
• Ongoing support for the health coach;
• Access to materials to assist the patient and the family.
For more information, call Lifespan Care Management at 800-808-9844 or visit CareManagerNJ.com.