Senior Living Policy Strengthens Communication

Home Care Path is developing an RN assisted living policy enrichment service.  This is a business to business contract billed at 59.00 per hour.   An aging of the population means more complicated symptoms related to chronic conditions.  Combine this with a tightening of public funded health benefits which creates a shift of acuity down the health care delivery continuum.  The result is the need for (UAP) unlicensed assistive personnel to serve an assisted living population with more complex disease processes.

As expectations change the unlicensed assistive personnel model can benefit from policy that strengthens communication between the medical providers and the direct service staff.  In house policy serves as an effective guide for diagnosis specific data collection.  For a diagnosis of congestive heart failure staff would be trained to consistently record a body weight, taking medications, salt content of meals, and fluid intake.  You want everyone performing these tasks at about the same times daily and in the same manner.

Delegation is a product of analysis and evaluation of the policy assigned recorded values. 
The registered nurse is looking at frequency and severity of undesired symptoms ( shortness of breath, weigh gain, swelling in ankles- stomach, chest pain) in relation to the proper collection of values.  Is the activity that forms to encompass the daily tasks being conducted on behalf of this senior helping control the undesired symptoms of the listed diagnosis.

These are the prioritized findings that need to be communicated to the medical clinic staff and the primary doctor.  If everything being done within the frame work of the assisted living policy is not effectively managing the undesired symptoms an intervention from an outside source may be required.  Delegation can help identify the proper outside source for the needed change and communication will facilitate delivery.

The needed change will involve staff training, delegation,  consumer specific (care plan) policy adjustment, and review.  The transitioning of individuals from unlicensed assistive personnel staffed facilities can take time.  Having policy in place and access to a registered nurse consultant seems to help with these exacerbations of the progression of medical diseases effecting more of our elders.

Home Care Path celebrates 5 years of successfully serving seniors in  Central Wisconsin

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 Home Care Path  www.homecarepath.com and the Wisconsin PATH ALONG model deliver an advanced supportive care service.  Helping seniors in the home, with clinic visits, at the hospital, nursing home and assisted living facility.  Helping seniors downsize with a move in to an adult child's home. 2014 rates are 20.00 per hour.  Simply call 608-432-4286 to schedule an interview.  We can be there when you are working.  We accept long term care insurance.  Services can be tax deductible.  Help with resources and the transition from private payment to public funded programming.  Valuing home and human life.