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ARLINGTON, Va and SAN DIEGO, June 5, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Meals on Wheels America is expanding a successful research program showing how Meals on Wheels drivers can use a mobile app to alert care coordinators about observed changes in homebound meal clients’ physical or mental health, social needs or home environment. The program ” developed with the West Health Institute and the Brown University Center for Gerontology and Healthcare Research ” will grow to include up to 30 Meals on Wheels sites across the country, helping ensure the wellness of an estimated 40,000 seniors.
As part of Meals on Wheels’ “more than just a meal” service model, staff and volunteer drivers deliver meals and visit clients in their homes regularly. They not only get to know their clients well through these visits; they may also be the only person some clients see in a given day. Collectively, this nutritious meal, friendly visit, and routine check-in help address three of the biggest threats to successful aging: hunger, isolation and loss of independence. By setting up drivers who know their clients with this app-based monitoring program, they are able to quickly and proactively notify Meals on Wheels care coordinators about any health or safety issues among their clients, facilitating connections with additional services and supports.
“When Meals on Wheels staff and volunteers are equipped with simple, yet effective screening tools while on their deliveries, they’re better able to react to changing conditions in seniors’ physical and mental state or environment before a particularly harmful health event occurs,” said Ellie Hollander, President and CEO of Meals on Wheels America. “This ability to respond in close to real-time can ultimately contribute to more agile coordination across medical and community-based service providers, improving outcomes and reducing costs.”
The expansion of this app-based alert and response program includes the following Meals on Wheels locations, and will continue through 2020:
A pilot of the alert and response program at two sites ” Meals on Wheels San Diego County and Meals on Wheels Guernsey County, Ohio ” demonstrated that Meals on Wheels drivers can effectively use an app called “Mobile Meals,” part of Accessible Solutions, Inc.’s ServTracker software, to send an alert to a care coordinator at the Meals on Wheels program about any changes in the health, safety or well-being of their home-delivered meal clients identified during a routine delivery. The care coordinator then responded by following up with the client to address their needs and refer them to appropriate health or social services as necessary. Within the two pilot sites, this alert and response program was tested across approximately 20 meal delivery routes serving nearly 900 clients.
“By collaborating with Meals on Wheels America, we’ve developed a safe, cost-effective and scalable program to preemptively identify and address concerns that too often result in deterioration of a senior’s medical condition or pose a major safety risk,” said Dr. Zia Agha, chief medical officer at West Health. “We’re excited learnings from this research program are now being implemented across the country within Meals on Wheels America’s expanded program that will positively impact as many seniors as possible.”
About West Health
Solely funded by philanthropists Gary and Mary West, West Health is a family of nonprofit and nonpartisan organizations including the Gary and Mary West Foundation and Gary and Mary West Health Institute in San Diego, and the Gary and Mary West Health Policy Center in Washington, D.C. West Health is dedicated to lowering healthcare costs to enable seniors to successfully age in place with access to high-quality, affordable health and support services that preserve and protect their dignity, quality of life and independence. Learn more at westhealth.org and follow @westhealth.
About Meals on Wheels America
Meals on Wheels America is the oldest and largest national organization supporting the more than 5,000 community-based programs across the country that are dedicated to addressing senior isolation and hunger. This network exists in virtually every community in America and, along with more than two million staff and volunteers, delivers the nutritious meals, friendly visits and safety checks that enable America’s seniors to live nourished lives with independence and dignity. By providing funding, leadership, education, research and advocacy support, Meals on Wheels America empowers its local member programs to strengthen their communities, one senior at a time. For more information, or to find a Meals on Wheels provider near you, visit www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org.
SOURCE West Health; Meals on Wheels America
(Family Features) Research suggests that most Americans turning age 65 will need some form of assistance with everyday activities, known as long-term care, as they grow older. The amount of care needed will depend on many variables, including overall health, cognitive functioning, and home environment.
Age is a strong predictor of the need for help, and because women live longer on average, they are more likely than men to require long-term care. Factors such as a disability, injury or chronic illness also increase the chance that long-term care will be needed.
Three simple steps can help you start planning for the care you may need as you age.
1. Know what to expect
Most people know they should save for retirement, but many don’t know exactly what expenses to expect. An often overlooked area is long-term care, a broad set of supports for everyday tasks like dressing or eating. While most of this care is provided by family members and friends, sometimes older adults and their families get these services from providers like home health aides, area agencies on aging or residential providers such as assisted living or nursing homes.
Understanding long-term care is the first step in creating a plan. Key things to know include:
* A person who lives alone is more likely to require long-term care than one who can rely on a spouse or partner for help with daily tasks.
* Long-term care is expensive and represents a major uncovered risk to your retirement savings.
* Medicare does not pay for long-term care services or supports with some minor exceptions. Neither does your employer-based health insurance or Medigap.
* Most people prefer to receive long-term care at home; their odds of doing so may be improved by making home modifications to reduce the risk of falls.
* Many Americans say they do not want to rely on their children for care, but a lack of planning for paid care often leads to exactly that result.
2. It’s not just about you
A choice to plan or not plan will likely have a big impact on family and friends who may also be informal caregivers. Statistics show that most long-term care is provided by family members or other loved ones.
Take the time to make clear your preferences for what kind of help you value most and where you want to receive it. Family and friends will feel better knowing that you are thinking about your needs – and theirs – by planning for long-term care.
3. Better active than reactive
Be proactive. Staying at home is great, especially if it has been modified to help you avoid an injury and continue to care for yourself. However, it won’t happen without taking steps to ensure you can get the support you need at home. Start thinking about ways to maintain your independence, safety, and care needs.
For more information and resources to develop a care plan, visit longtermcare.gov.
Photo courtesy of Getty Images
#13634 Source: Administration for Community Living
(Family Features) Knowing the warning signs of a mini-stroke could help save a life.
A survey conducted by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association shows one-third of United States adults have had symptoms consistent with a transient ischemic attack (TIA), also known as a mini-stroke, but only 3 percent called 911 for help.
“Ignoring any stroke signs could be a deadly mistake,” said Mitch Elkind, M.D., chair of the American Stroke Association Advisory Committee. “Only a formal medical diagnosis with brain imaging can determine whether you’re having a TIA or a stroke.”
The survey showed 35 percent of respondents experienced at least one sign of a TIA or mini-stroke, such as sudden trouble speaking or a severe headache with no known cause. According to the online survey, those who suffered symptoms were more likely to wait it out, rest or take medicine rather than call 911.
Stroke is a leading cause of serious, long-term adult disability in the United States and among the top five causes of death. However, with proper, timely medical attention, stroke is largely treatable. The faster you are treated, the more likely you are to have a positive outcome.
The American Stroke Association’s Together to End Stroke initiative, nationally sponsored by Medtronic, teaches the acronym F.A.S.T. to help people remember the most common stroke warning signs and what to do in a stroke emergency:
F – Face drooping
A – Arm weahness
S – Speech difficulty
T – Time to call 911
While the symptoms are the same, the difference between a TIA and a stroke is that the blockage is temporary, lasting between a few minutes and 24 hours. People who suffer a TIA, sometimes called a warning stroke, are more likely to have a stroke within 90 days, according to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association.
Elkind said anyone who experiences a stroke warning sign that appears suddenly, whether it goes away or not, should call 911 immediately. This could improve the chances of an accurate diagnosis, treatment, and recovery.
Stroke symptoms come on suddenly with no known cause and may include confusion, trouble speaking or understanding; weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body; trouble seeing in one or both eyes; trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination; or a severe headache.
To learn more about stroke warning signs and treatment, visit StrokeAssociation.org.
Photo courtesy of Getty Images
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