Center for Healthy Senior Living

Home health care is often appropriate for elderly patients with congestive heart failure (CHF), COPD, diabetes, orthopedic recovery, stroke, chronic kidney disease, wound care, dementia and behavioral health needs. Our services include: 

• Visiting skilled nurses
• Home rehabilitation – physical, occupational, and speech therapy
• Private and personal care
• Medical social workers
• Hospice and palliative care services
• Home health care advisors available to coordinate services and help you understand your benefits coverages
• Specialized post-discharge programs for orthopedics (joint replacement), cardiovascular, stroke or neurological conditions, and more
• Tele-health services to manage patients with chronic conditions
• Medical equipment, oxygen, CPAP, supplies, and more. 

We provide a full range of services to help you manage transitions between different healthcare settings — such as from the hospital to home, or from the hospital to a rehabilitation facility. Transition services include:

• Skilled nursing rehabilitation care. Our providers offer continual care in the acute and sub-acute facility leading to seamless care coordination. 
• Cognitive and memory care. Our experts will evaluate your cognitive functioning and develop a care plan that meets your needs.  
• Coordination of care. We work closely with physicians in a variety of specialty areas and healthcare settings to ensure that you receive collaborative, multidisciplinary care.
• Medication review and management. Our specialists will regularly review the medications you take and update your health records. We also offer expert medication management services designed to help you stay safe and healthy by preventing duplicate prescriptions and reducing the risk of harmful drug interactions.
• Palliative care. We provide supportive therapies to help you manage pain and other symptoms related to illness, injury or medical treatment.
• Physical function assessment and treatment. We offer expert assessment, recommendations and referrals for effective treatments.
• Treatment of multiple chronic illnesses. Our geriatric medicine specialists can safely and effectively treat multiple chronic health conditions, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

Many patients find it helpful to make a list of their questions prior to their appointment. You may also find it helpful to bring a friend, family member or caregiver with you to take notes. You will also need to bring:

• Your Social Security card
• Any insurance cards and the name of the policyholder
• Your copay, as required by your insurance company
• Your medications, including prescription drugs in their original containers, over-the-counter drugs, supplements and herbal/natural remedies, patches, creams and vitamins
• Referral if indicated by your insurance carrier
• A copy of your advance directive or living will
• Eyeglasses, hearing aids and any other assistive listening devices you require
• Mobility devices, such as a walker, cane or special footwear.

Plan to spend approximately one hour in the office on the day of your appointment. Your doctor will review your medical and family health history, complete a physical exam and perform an assessment of:  

• Multiple medical problems
• Mental status and mood
• Memory disorders
• Osteoporosis
• Functional decline
• Medication management
• Falls
• Incontinence
• Vision/Hearing
• Mobility

At the end of your appointment, the geriatrician will review with (and your family/caregivers with your permission) his or her findings, suggested goals of care, plan of treatment and recommendations.

Recommendations may include suggestions for managing medical or other problems, services to assist you and your caregivers in the home setting and information regarding programs, interventions, and available resources outside the home. 

You will also receive educational materials and information about caregiver counseling and education, if needed.

The geriatrician will take into consideration your personal values, preferences and financial implications when making recommendations for medical management and care.