Today three new tools for eldercare are live! SCANS/Care Manager (V1.1), SCANS/Client Access (V1.1), and SCANS/Care Advisor (V1.5) were all released into production. Some highlighted improvements include:
SCANS/Care Manager
- Improved user interface - easier to use, improved navigation, fewer steps to complete tasks, "finger tip" utilities, and improved look-and-feel.
- Dynamic creation of assessments for increased flexibility and new programs
- Assessment printing - blank forms and completed documents
- Improved reports
- Medication look-up
- Improved provider, service, and insurance listings
- Better organization of client data
- Integrated activity and time tracking
- Activity re-assignment
- Improved calendar event scheduling
- Better branding support
- Group and sub-group support
- and many more...
SCANS/Client Access
- Dramatically improve client interface with improved look-and-feel, better ease of use, action section, more data from the personal heath record available, and more.
- Self management of passwords
- Reports now available on-line for view and print
- Direct account management by geriatric care managers for quicker turn around on access requests
- Improved communication tools
SCANS/Care Advisor
- Continuity of Care Record (CCR) Interface for improved integration
- 67 New tool revisions
My last post covered some of the key points to consider if your aging loved one has dementia and may still be driving.
To objectively assess the older adult’s ability to drive the family and/or support systems should document and then share with others:
- The frequency, type and severity of accidents/incidents
- To reinforce that while everyone has isolated incidents; when there is a pattern, conversations about driving and decisions need to be made
- Take immediate action when the older adult is confusing gas and brake pedals and/or stopping in traffic for no apparent reason
If needed, an occupational therapist can provide assessment and remedial driving training. A professional geriatric care manager can help you locate a local resource. Other resources to assist in assessing driving skills are:
Beginning Q1 2010 My Health Care Manager is deploying a major extension of its Senior Care Navigation System (SCANSTM). SCANS is now a software suite incorporating and enhancing the functions previously performed by the Navigator system. The modules and a brief description are as follows:
SCANS/Client Access provides clients and authorized care participants access to key personal health information, assessment results, reports, care plans, tools, and more.
SCANS/Care Manager provides geriatric care managers with a comprehensive system to assess, plan, implement, and track the care of seniors and their families.
SCANS/Care Advisor provides care managers with an extensive knowledgebase and decision support system bringing industry best practices, recommended actions, and real world practical tools to enhance quality, completeness, and efficiency in care planning and delivery.
This evening I'm participating in a Panel Discussion at Butler University. Nick Caldicott the President of the Management and Information Systems Technology Association at Butler has put together a discussion on careers in IT.
The event is at the Butler Pharmacy and Health Sciences Building at 7:00 in room PB156. Butler campus is located at 4600 Sunset Avenue, Indianapolis, Indiana 46208.
As I was putting my opening remarks together, I added a bullet to a slide titled "Why Love Technology?" that struck me as needing more explanation. The bullet simply said "Helping People". This is a great strength of technology and in particular creating tools for eldercare.
Most any computer system is built to help people, at least a some level; even if it's just to help do some menial task more quickly and easily. Building software that effects lives and helps families caring for aging parents with things like medication management, senior health care, following treatment plans, home safety, and overall well-being, is a special case.
What I really love about this kind of technology advance is that we can multiply ourselves way beyond our ability to help as an individual person. While we might be able to help a handful of families each day, a software system can be used by hundreds or even thousands of people everyday to make a difference in the lives of seniors. We simply can't do that by ourselves.
The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services would like to “highlight the importance of continuing influenza vaccination, as well as foster greater use of flu vaccine after the holiday season into January and beyond… the spread of 2009 H1N1 influenza is likely to continue” into 2010.
Influenza is unpredictable, but it is known that if people are vaccinated, the flu is less likely to spread in the coming months. Ask your health care provider if you have questions about the flu vaccine for you or your senior loved one.
Symptoms of Flu
Seasonal Flu- All types of flu can cause:
- Fever
- Coughing and/or sore throat
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Headaches and/or body aches
- Chills
- Fatigue
H1N1 Flu- Same as seasonal flu, but symptoms may be more severe.
Fever
- Coughing and/or sore throat
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Headaches and/or body aches
- Chills
- Fatigue
In addition to the above symptoms, a number of H1N1 flu cases reported:
If you're a caregiver, speak to your health care provider with any questions about the flu or the flu vaccine for you and your senior loved one.
My next post will give some of the most important flu prevention tips to keep you and your senior loved one healthy.
It is very important for the older adult to know his/her surroundings and prepare for the winter months. Changes in the older adult that accompany aging make it harder for them to know when they are getting cold. It is also harder for the body to warm itself. So for safety’s sake, it is very important for the older adult to pay attention to the weather and how cold it is going to get. Caregivers should help their aging parents and other aging loved ones follow the tips below.
General tips for the older adult from the
American Geriatric Society are:
1. Stay indoors when it's very cold outside, especially if it's also very windy; and keep indoor temperatures at least 65 degrees
2. If you have to go outside, don't stay out in the cold or the wind for very long
3. Wear two or three thinner layers of loose-fitting clothing. (They are warmer than a single layer of thick clothing.) Always wear:
- a hat
- gloves or mittens (mittens are warmer)
- coat and boots
- a scarf to cover your mouth and nose and protect your lungs from very cold air
4. Stay dry; wet clothing chills your body quickly
5. Go indoors if you start shivering- it's a warning sign that you're losing body heat.
Know the warning signs of hypothermia: lots of shivering; cold skin that is pale or ashy; feeling very tired, confused and sleepy; feeling weak; problems walking; slowed breathing or heart rate. Note: Don't rely on shivering alone as a warning sign, since older people tend to shiver less -and some, not at all-as their body temperature drops. Call 911 if you think you or someone else has hypothermia.
In my next blog, I'll post information on finding assistance for seniors who may have trouble paying their heating bills.
Visit the AGS foundation winter safety page
here.
This past week I got a handful of comments about a Wall Street Journal article titled "Your iPhone Just Called: Your Blood-Sugar Is High". Pretty neat concept, but the article really doesn't talk about the future convergence of in home heath monitoring/diagnostic equipment with personal health information repositories, as the title might imply.
Instead the article focuses on something much more accessible today - the use of mobile devises to view and even update personal health information. One family cited in the article actually uses such an application to help in caring for aging parents. The iPhone application in question is Polka. Polka, like nearly all the applications mentioned in the article, uses a central web application to house the personal health record. Polka is primarily and personal tool, but the "team" tools allow some sharing of information across a team or family in the case of senior health care.
Most of the applications mentioned in the article, including Polka, have a strong bias toward disease management. This is certainly an important issue in geriatric care. Polka also has some more holistic tools including over all well-being.
For easy reference, here are the products mentioned in the article with hyperlinks to their web sites:
Caregiving is always a challenge - especially remembering to take care of yourself. During the holidays, it is so important to take care of yourself. Today, I’m sharing a few tips for caregivers of someone with cognitive decline or Alzheimer’s.
How do you take care of your aging loved one and still enjoy the holidays? The National Institute on Aging has many tips to assist you, especially during this holiday season. Some key tips are to:
- Keep or adapt family traditions that are important to you. Include the person with Alzheimer’s Disease as much as possible
- Recognize that things will be different, and have realistic expectations about what you can do
- Encourage friends and family to visit. Limit the number of visitors at one time, and try to schedule visits during the time of day when the person is at his or her best
- Avoid crowds, changes in routine, and strange surroundings that may cause confusion or agitation.
You can also visit my previous blogs on caregiving and the holidays:
Caregivers' plans for the holidaysCaregiver stress and the holidaysOr, if you'd like to read about a caregiver's experience and hear her advice, read Karen Kelsey's blog post:
Christmas and caregiving.
If you notice a change in cognition in your aging loved one this holiday season, or worry about their mobility, safety, or health, please contact their health care provider or a professional geriatric care manager for advice.
The Research and Development team at My Health Care Manager has rolled the latest release of our SCANS(TM) application into full production.
SCANS is a one-of-a-kind decision support and knowledge management system specifically designed for geriatric care management. The system provides families help with aging parents through comprehensive best practice information in 40 geriatric care categories. This information is made available to Health Care Managers and other advisors working as licensees or directly for My Health Care Manager. This information is support with an extensive list of practical, hands-on tools to help seniors living independently or in a senior health care setting.
Version 1.4 introduces a major productivity advance - Point and Click Care Planning. This feature improves productivity and saves money for clients. At the same time it also improves quality and consistency.
More new features include:
- Care Plan report delivered in consumer language
- 136 new tools in SCANS
- Medical Support Information database powered by Healthwise
- Automatic logo branding of SCANS tools for all affiliate and partner
- Full integration with Navigator
Navigator 1.12 is here!
The latest version of Navigator has gone into full production use. Navigator is My Health Care Manager's case management system which supports our Geriatric Care Managers and the care managers at our Licensees in assessment, planning, tracking, and implementation of well-being support for families caring for aging parents.
This is an exciting new release including the following new features:
- Introduction of next generation Care Planning supporting a direct SCANS(TM) interface, identification of key findings and intervention, outcomes tracking, and more.
- Care Plan Reporting
- Improved Assessment Summary Report
- Client Portal Care Plan Review
- Client Portal Improvements
- Past Assessment Reporting
- Menuing improvements and more
Part of healthy aging is making sure you are getting the right amount of nutrients and vitamins in your diet. One way individuals are getting the appropriate nutrients and vitamins in their diet is to take herbal supplements. An herb is a plant or plant part used for its scent, flavor, or therapeutic properties. Herbal supplements are a type of dietary supplement that people take to improve their health. They can be tablets, powders, teas, or extracts. While many herbal supplements may be helpful, they can cause health problems if they interact with other medications you are taking.
Before beginning an herbal supplement:
1. Always talk to your doctor first before starting any new medication or supplement
2. Always follow the recommended dosage – never take an increased amount that the label says
3. Consult your doctor if you have side effects
Your doctor may be cautious about embracing many herbal supplements. This is because there have been very few controlled studies done on herbal supplements. However, a growing number of doctors are working to better understand herbal therapies to help you make an informed decision about your health care.
When looking at purchasing herbal supplements, take these points into consideration:
1. Buy only single herb products. Do not buy supplements that are mixtures of several herbs with unknown amounts of each
2. Beware of claims that sound too good to be true. There is no herbal supplement that can address a wide range of health concerns
3. Be extremely cautious about herbal supplements manufactured outside the U.S.
Avoid taking herbal supplements if:
• You are taking prescription or over-the-counter medications
• A proven medical treatment is available for your medical condition
Source:
National Institutes of Health
http://www.nlm.nih.gov
Sometimes you think all the "predictions" of science fiction really will come true. Well here's more support for your case. GeckoSystems International Corp. announced limited trials of a "Mobile Service Robot" called Carebot. Really... "carebot".
This little guy can navigate through the home on it's own; provide assistance caring for aging parents with medication reminders, monitoring vital signs, delivering supplies, and other simple tasks. The system works thought independent computers and software that work together to deliver coordinated activity. GeckoSystems has gotten a bit cheeky by calling these GeckoSavants(TM). Each functional area has a "geckoname" like, GeckoNav(TM), GeckoChat(TM) and GeckoTrak(TM).
This version of the Carebot is not likely to replace a geriatric care manager or other caregiver any time soon, but GekoSystems has been solving some of the most difficult challenges to making robot helpful in the home. For example, Navigating independently in crowds or narrow spaces is something we take for granted, but it's actually a major challenge for a machine.
I'm looking forward to Carebot II.
Holiday time is often an extremely difficult time for those caring for loved ones with Alzheimer's Disease. The Alzheimer’s Association has prepared a special Web page with
helpful tips to make the holidays less stressful for caregivers and family members. If you're caring for someone with Alzheimer's Disease, make sure to take care of yourself as well during the holidays. Caregivers often experience increased stress during the holidays, which can affect your well-being, and your ability to care for your aging loved one. Make sure to ask family and friends for help with your caregiving duties, and maybe even investigate respite care. A geriatric care manager can help you find caregiving solutions, and your health care provider can help you find ways to remain healthy and well during the holidays.
You can also visit my blog from last year on
Caregiver Stress and the Holidays. It includes some more tips to maintain your own well-being, and also a quiz for caregivers.
If you notice changes in your aging loved one over the holidays, a qualified professional with gerontology experience - such as a geriatric care manager or your loved one's physician - can help.
Another new release of My Health Care Manager's case management system - Navigator - has gone live. This release included an infrastructure upgrade along with a new look (icons, screens, menus and so on) and nine change requests for user enhancements.
Navigator is the tool used by geriatric care managers at My Health Care Manager and our licensees to collect assessment data, develop care plans, implement changes, and track results for seniors. It also provides ready access to key personal health and care planning information through an on-line portal to authorized family members caring for aging parents.
Just a reminder that the open enrollment period for Medicare drug coverage began on November 15. For quick information, The
Alzheimer’s Association has posted on their site a page dedicated to the
Medicare Part D Drug Benefit. This site can assist caregivers, family members and you find plans that best address the needs of the older adult. All prescription drug plans have changed in some way, with many including increases in premiums and cost-sharing to be paid by the Medicare beneficiary. If you or a loved one use find the best plan to meet your needs, a geriatric care manager or other professional can help. Learn more about Medicare by visiting the
Medicare site.
For additional information visit my past blogs:
It is that time of year… Medicare health and drug coverage open enrollment begins on Nov 15 and ends on Dec 31. With all the news on revamping America’s health care, you may have missed the announcement from The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that seniors or other people with Medicare (and their caregivers and/or family members) can begin to review their 2010 coverage options through Medicare’s improved online tools. Medicare Health Options Compare and Prescription Drug Plan Finder is located at www.medicare.gov.
Remember, caregivers, if your loved one is a Medicare beneficiary, they are eligible for Medicare prescription drug coverage, regardless of income, health status, or current prescription expenses.
There are two types of Medicare plans that provide prescription drug coverage:
1) Medicare Prescription Drug Plans - These plans add prescription drug coverage to Original Medicare, and certain types of Medicare Health Plans.
2) Medicare Health Plans - Some of these plans cover both health care and prescription drugs.
For caregivers and seniors that prefer to get information over the phone,
- Contact a Medicare customer service representative at toll free 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227)
- OR contact your local State health insurance Assistance Program office (find the number online at http://www.medicare.gov/Contacts/staticpages/ships.aspx) or other health advocacy agencies for free personalized counseling.
Medicare's customer service is available 24-hours a day and 7 days a week. English and Spanish-language customer service representatives are available.
A 2010 Medicare & You handbook for seniors and their caregivers, also available on www.Medicare.gov, will be mailed to the homes of all eligible beneficiaries this month.
Medicare can be complicated, and a qualified geriatric care professional can help you figure it out if you're a caregiver. If you're a veteran (or a caregiver for a veteran) you can also see my previous blogs, which include Information on Veterans Benefits and Part 2: Additional Information on Veterans Benefits.
Have you ever went to a doctor and they told you something about your treatment
option(s) that you were unsure with or didn't agree on? If you ever feel this way, you are entitled to and should get a second opinion. A second opinion is when a physician other than your regular physician gives their view about your health condition and how it should be treated. Part of healthy aging is knowing and understanding your health care and treatment options and a second opinion will allow you be more informed about your health care.
When should I get a second opinion?
You should consider getting a second opinion if your physician tells you that you need surgery to make a diagnosis or treat a health problem that is not an emergency. It is always up to you, the patient, to decide if and when you will have surgery. However, if you need surgery immediately, do not wait for a second opinion. This would include appendicitis, accidental injuries, blood clots, aneurysms, etc.
Preparing your visit for a second opinion:
Before your appointment with the second physician, you should:
- Have your medical records sent to the second physician. This will inform the physician of what has been discussed and any tests that have been performed.
- Call the second physician's office before your appointment to make sure they received your records
- Have a list of questions on paper you want to ask and take them with you to your appointment.
- Ask somebody close to you to come to the appointment with you.
What should I do if the first and second opinions are different?
If the second physician does not agree with your regular physician you may want to discuss your condition more with your first physician. Getting a second opinion does not mean you have to change doctors, it is up to you which physician you choose to see. The final decision is up to you and should be made with all the facts.
Falls are a serious danger for seniors, as they can lead to broken or fractured bones, and hospital stays. As we age, mobility often becomes an issue, and our balance can deteriorate. Many older adults rely on the help of assistive devices such as canes.
If your doctor or therapist has ordered a cane for you, this Veteran’s Day (November 11, 2009), Sam’s Club is giving away 25,000 canes to veterans. To find out more, please visit http://www.hugosalutes.com/. If you’re a caregiver who is providing care for a senior, you should work with their health care providers to make sure that your loved one has the assistance he/she needs. In addition, you can take actions to prevent falls and help ensure their safety in the home, such as removing throw rugs. For more on fall prevention, please see my previous blog (http://myhealthcaremanager.compendiumblog.com/blog/immobility/0/0/fall-prevention-).
Make sure to check with your health care provider before using a cane or other assistive device.
November is Alzheimer’s awareness month. It is time to catch up with discussions about dementia and redefining dementia. Dementia is often thought of as simply memory loss and/or a memory disorder. While memory loss is the “hallmark” of dementia in its early stages, most caregivers treat it as illness and do not think of dementia as fatal. According to Catherine Elton at time.com, “Experts in the field say dementia is more accurately defined as fatal brain failure: a terminal disease, like cancer, that physically kills patients, not simply a mental ailment that accompanies older age.” Unlike other terminal diseases, as the older adult with dementia approaches the end of their life, they are often treated aggressively rather than with palliative care. Read more about what experts are saying in Catherine Elton’s report:
Experts Redefine Dementia as a Terminal Disease.
if you're a caregiver, remember, when caring for an older adult with dementia always ask if the treatments are causing more distress AND if their pain being managed. Check to see if the older adult has made their wishes clear regarding aggressive treatments, feeding tubes and CPR. Then advocate that their wishes are carried out. As a caregiver, if your parent or loved one is in the early stages of dementia and have not made their wishes clear, now is the time to talk to them and complete their advance directives/living will. A geriatric care manager can help caregivers and their aging loved ones address these issues.
For more information on treating advanced dementia as a terminal illness requiring palliative care go to Catherine Elton’s report:
Experts Redefine Dementia as a Terminal Disease.
We’re pleased that Alliance Care Advisors is My Health Care Manager’s new licensee for the Indianapolis and surrounding counties area. Like our other licensees, Alliance Care Advisors will use our systems, training, and processes, including SCANS(TM) - our Senior Care Navigation System - a best-in-class knowledge management and decision support system, to provide geriatric care management by their Health Care Managers to seniors and caregivers. To learn more about SCANS and how it’s helping seniors and caregivers nationwide, please visit our CTO
Eric Tinsley’s blog. If you are searching for geriatric care management services in the Indianapolis area you should visit
their website or
view their press release to learn more. Alliance Care Advisors’ sister organization, Alliance Home Health Care, already provides complementary home health services.
Eric Tinsley
Alan Stanford 
Jean Bandos
Karen Kelsey
Natalie Crohn
George Slater
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