care management & advocacy
WHAT WE DID …
It had not been a good year for Emily Woodruff. After her
husband of 60 years died in January she was lonely and increasingly
confused, and in June she experienced a stroke, leaving her
with right-side paralysis and limited speech. Eating was so
difficult that an abdominal feeding tube was inserted.
In July she was discharged to a Complex Continuing Care unit;
in September her son asked me to ‘check out her care’.
What I found was appalling – the elegant, loquacious
lady I had known was alone in a bare room, curled in an awkward
fetal position, staring at a silent TV screen on a wall high
above her head. Her hair was flat and oily, her hospital nightie
reeked of urine, her eyes dull and lifeless and she did not
respond when I held her hand and spoke to her. It was clear
that a non-hospital environment was essential for Emily’s
mental and physical well-being.
While all expert advice indicated long-term care, we succeeded
in finding a retirement home to accommodate her needs including
a sling-type lift and the feeding tube. We worked with the
staff on a routine that got her out of bed, dressed, and into
the wheelchair to attend scheduled programs. A companion was
hired for one-on-one conversation, outings and weekly hair
and manicure appointments.
Six months later Emily Woodruff has been restored –
not to her pre-stroke self, but to someone any friend would
recognize.
WHAT IT COST…
All ElderCareCanada services are billed at an hourly rate,
on a fee-for-service basis. In this case
The family paid for 2 hours of assessment, 2 hours of hospital
staff meetings, 1 hour to research a caregiver, and $15/hour
for the caregiver for 20 hours/week.
No contingency or retainer fees are charged, and ElderCareCanada
does not pay or accept commissions, contingency fees, kick-backs
or gratuities of any kind. Clients are encouraged to check
their employee benefits package, as these services may be
covered under their Employee Assistance Plan.
OUR CLIENTS SAY …
"Pat Irwin has been a godsend. Faced with trying
to assess available care facilities when it became apparent
that my aged parents could no longer cope with independent
living , I emailed Pat early one morning. She responded within
hours, saw my parents that day and had them placed in a week.
My mother loved her. She knows the elder care system and provides
great advice and help and a variety of service from placement
to storage of excess furniture to procuring needed medical
appliances. She has continued to assist me and my sister (who
is overseas) as changes have been required as my parents conditions
changed. I frankly don't know how I would have managed over
the past few years without her help."
David R. Allgood, Executive Vice-President & General
Counsel, Royal Bank of Canada
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