South Carolina Aging In Place Coalition
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National Aging in Place Week |
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ITN Charleston Trident Carol E. will candidly admit that she had it all: two vacation homes, good health and enough money to support herself comfortably; however, after a serious accident that left her with a fractured leg and hip problem, the rug was pulled out from underneath her. While physical ailments and emotional strain tested Ms. E, her worsening financial situation became overwhelming when her car was stolen and the hospital bills came rolling in. With her transportation gone and injuries that left her immobile, her two houses were foreclosed on and she faced the impending threat of moving in into assisted living. Struggling to stay independent, Ms. E. purchased a small trailer and signed up for the Meals on Wheels program. Unfortunately, because of her location, she was unable find reliable transportation. With her age and injuries, the bus stops were too far away and the over-sized steps proved difficult to manage. She had long since exhausted the help her friends were able to provide. Essentially, she was trapped and her independence was slowly slipping away. Ms. E. received disability checks but had no way to get to the bank to cash them. They were piling up and useless while she became a prisoner in her home. Her trailer was left unfurnished because she had no way to do her shopping. Her lack of transportation was a great encumbrance to maintaining the independent, quality lifestyle that she desired. In fact, her independence was quickly washing away. Ms. E. learned about ITNCharlestonTrident, an innovative program designed to meet the transportation needs of seniors and the visually impaired. After using the service, Ms. E. called to say that ITNCharlestonTridentt made it possible for her to furnish her house and do the daily things that make living worthwhile. She even noted that the “Meals on Wheels ladies” commented on the difference they saw in her demeanor. Ms. E. is just one of many examples of ITNCT helping to give the Lowcountry’s senior community the freedom and independence necessary to enjoy a positive quality of life by providing individualized and dignified transportation in personal cars to seniors. |
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Roper St. Francis Lifeline Mrs. Walker had lived in her small modest brick home on the beach for the past fifty- five years. She was widowed and her grown children had moved away though they come back “home” every summer to vacation with her. Mrs. Walker cherished her home, filled of family treasures and a lifetime of memories. Her dream was to remain living in her home until she passed away. For her safety and the peace of mind of her children, Mrs. Walker got Lifeline service three years ago – just in case. It happened suddenly. Like a heavy weight, a pain crushed her chest and brought her to her knees, she could not breath. She pressed her Lifeline button for help, a Lifeline Monitor called to her on the two-way communicator, but the pain was so intense she could not respond. Following Lifeline’s protocol, her neighbor was called and came to her house immediately. When he arrived, he told the Lifeline Monitor that Mrs. Walker needed immediate medical assistance. EMS was called and arrived within minutes. Per Mrs. Walker’s wishes the Lifeline Monitor faxed emergency medical information to the ER prior to her arrival, contacted her family and her physician. Mrs. Walker did not survive the heart attack. When Kelley Hallman went to Mrs. Walker’s home to pick up her Lifeline unit, she was overwhelmed by the reception she received from the Walker family. They were so thankful for Lifeline, which prevented their mother from suffering the horrendous pain and dying on the floor alone. Because of Lifeline’s rapid response, she was transported to the hospital and stabilized, which gave them the time to travel back home to be by her side and say their goodbyes. Lifeline enabled Mrs. Walker to live out her dream; she never had to leave the one place that made her feel love, security and peace of mind…home. |
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Care For Life One year ago, an adult son, “John”, was faced with a very difficult choice. He was the main caregiver for his elderly mother and for his adult brother, “Tom”. His mother was unable to care for herself and living independently was no longer an option. “Tom”, diagnosed with Congenital Mental Retardation, was making poor decisions when it came to his health, nutrition, and medications. “Tom” is an insulin dependent diabetic who often gave himself too much or too little insulin putting him into a dangerous situation. He was unable to see his own deficits and felt he could be the primary caregiver of their mother. Frustrated and scared, “John” decided to call Care For Life. Care For Life placed care givers into the home who provide the elderly mother with day to day assistance and care, as well as provide supervision, medication reminders, housekeeping, meal preparation, and socialization for both the mother and the brother. We provide care management for both individuals in the form of setting up pill boxes/insulin syringes, consultation with physicians to meet their changing needs, and health/nutritional education services. The mom and “Tom” live together in their home without the fear of having to be placed in a facility. “Tom” beams with pride as he feels he is taking care of his mother and himself. “John” receives weekly reports from Care For Life on his family’s status and is confident and guilt free because he was able to help them stay at home and remain as independent as possible. |
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The Canterbury House Cam Spencer, RN, is the Shining Star of the Canterbury House. Her wellness program, “Project House Calls” allows our residents to “age-in-place” independently, comfortably, safely and with dignity! By allowing our residents to “age in place” with supportive services, they avoid premature and often cost-prohibitive assisted-living. Cam serves as an advocate for our seniors helping them navigate the confusing and complex healthcare system. Under her direction, she has established a strong affiliation with MUSC School of Health Professions providing a learning site for their students. She, also, conducts weekly blood pressure screening and diabetic monitoring, schedules seminars with local health care providers, provides one-on-one Medicare D (drug) counseling and seeks no cost/low cost prescriptions from pharmaceutical companies for residents needing expensive medications. In addition, she coordinates hospitalization and rehabilitation placement/discharges and accompanies residents to doctors’ appointments. Cam has established a contact with the VA to locate entitled benefits for many of our residents. She provides foot care for our seniors - especially important for our diabetics and schedules in-house flu/pneumonia/shingle shots. She coordinates Life-Line services for our residents through Roper Hospital, serves as liaison for the MUSC “Seasons” program for residents with behavior disorders and provides crisis management/intervention. She works closely with community resources, especially the City of Charleston Police Department, Elder Support office, to establish guardian/conservator services. Due to Cam’s commitment to our residents, they are able to “age-in-place” independently at the Canterbury House. Cam and “Project House Calls” are truly our Shining Stars! |
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Citadel Enterprises |
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South Carolina
Aging In Place Coalition |
