Colonel's Blog, Chapter 2
Per the U.S. National Archives, a Captain’s Log is a listing of the daily activities of a U.S. Navy ship; in Star Trek, it was also used to record the general thoughts and reflections of the Captain of the U.S.S. Enterprise. I’m not a Navy Captain, but am the Air Force equivalent, so I’m using this vehicle to record my observations and reflections as they relate to my position as the owner of Assisted Living Locators – Nashville. I’ll be updating this blog with regular entries, and as new observations hit me. I hope you enjoy it, and perhaps learn something new about the world of senior living. Note: names and initials have been changed for privacy purposes.
Victory!
Occasionally you find you are able to help someone directly, immediately, by connecting them with the exact service they need. I had this experience recently with a company called DispatchHealth, and it was extremely satisfying.
A couple months ago I had the opportunity to speak with a woman who was looking for respite care for her 95+ year-old Mother. A respite stay in this context is a short period of time in an assisted living community which allows family caregivers to rest and recharge, or to attend some event. Oftentimes the senior enjoys the stay so much the community turns into their permanent home. Like many of us, Daughter L and her husband had been stuck at home for the past year, so they were planning on taking a trip to see old friends. I knew just the place to send them, Canterfield of Franklin, which is a beautiful, fun, and welcoming community with very reasonable respite rates and conditions.
A couple of days before our tour, I received a call from L who was worried about her Mother. She told me that Mom E had been an active and engaged senior until the week before, but now seemed to be complaining a lot and was not interested in activities or even getting out of bed. I thought perhaps she may have just been kind of down, as many of us had, due to the lockdown, and suggested a few caregivers who might be able to assist. As Mom’s lack of ambition continued for a few more days, L became increasingly worried, so she took her mother to the emergency room. Seven hours later, the family left the hospital without being seen by a doctor.
What?!?!?
Please read that again: a woman in her upper 90’s laid on a gurney in an emergency room for several hours without being seen. Please don’t think I’m criticizing the hospital for not waiting on Mom E; they properly took care of the car accidents, heart attacks, strokes, COVID patients, and other life-threatening conditions before Mom E. That was the proper call. However, when I heard about it, the thought of a 95+ year-old woman sitting on a gurney waiting in an emergency room for several hours without being treated just broke my heart.
DispatchHealth to the Rescue!
Daughter L called me thinking her Mom, who hadn’t improved at all since her trip to the hospital, might have to move into long-term care in a nursing home. Thankfully, I remembered hearing about DispatchHealth in a networking Zoom call. I recalled they performed house calls, and I figured they might be able to provide Mom E some of the care she was hoping to get in the ER, so I called DispatchHealth and connected them with L. It was perhaps the most effective connection I’ve ever made. DispatchHealth immediately sent a couple medical professionals to see Mom E. They were able to diagnose and treat a few minor, but still significant, medical issues in the comfort of her home. Additionally, and amazingly, it was covered by her insurance! Later DispatchHealth followed up with Mom E’s primary care physician to ensure continuity of care. Almost immediately Mom E began to feel better, and just as quickly, discussion of long-term care in a nursing home ceased.
Mom E did get that respite stay in Canterfield, and her kids did get some time to enjoy themselves without the burden of caregiveing, much of which was made possible by the services provided by DispatchHealth. Seeing how much their service impacted this family and improved Mom E’s future prospects has made me their biggest unpaid cheerleader. In addition to providing their website, I’ve pasted some information they’ve provided me at the bottom of this posting.
Take Aways
Please remember there is a lot of room for creative solutions when trying to address issues which arise as we, and our loved ones, age. In this instance, I received a call where long-term nursing home care was being considered for Mom E. After a little consideration of the situation and a referral to DispatchHealth, we were back at a respite stay, which is better for all concerned. Also remember, while our bread and butter is finding assisted living, independent living, and memory care for seniors, we’re able to provide referrals to several other services, like DispatchHealth, as well. We want to be your resource for finding whatever service you or your senior need.
Assisted Living Locators - Nashville in the Media
We at ALL-Nashville have had a really good couple of weeks regarding media exposure, in addition to our regular add in the Community Impact Newspaper, I was interviewed for an e-magazine, Nashville Voyager , and by a local real estate agent for her What's Up Nashville feature on Facebook Things are taking off!
I almost forgot! On Tuesday at 2 pm (Central) you can hear me as part of a panel which will discuss senior living options. It'll be my first live "broadcast," at least in this profession, so wish me luck!
DispatchHealth is Bringing High-Quality Medical Care to the Comfort of Your Home
Calling all Nashville residents! Did you know that you can receive safe, high-quality care in the comfort of your home? That’s right, DispatchHealth, a leading provider of in-home medical care, brings you convenient, same-day care to your doorstep. DispatchHealth’s highly trained providers and medical technicians will treat patients with simple to complex illnesses and injuries for a wide variety of patients and is perfect for those who want to avoid unnecessary ER (Emergency Room) and urgent care trips. From on-site, quality care to post-care coordination with your primary care physician and care team, DispatchHealth is here for you.
The DispatchHealth Way
Often, symptoms of an injury or illness make it difficult to leave the home to seek necessary medical attention, such as with COPD-related shortness of breath or a minor fracture. And many common conditions, such as CHF (Congestive Heart Failure) and COPD, often send patients to the hospital unnecessarily, resulting in frequent disruptions to life and drawn-out recovery times. That is where DispatchHealth comes in. We offer convenient, in-home, same-day medical care for simple to complex illnesses, injuries, and conditions, allowing you to receive the care you need without having to leave your home. We accept most major forms of insurance—including Medicare and Medicaid—and offer an affordable flat rate to uninsured patients. You can expect to spend about the same as you would on a visit to the urgent care clinic.
People We Serve
DispatchHealth is ideal for anyone who wants to receive medical care in the comfort of their own home. Our services are particularly beneficial for those with mobility limitations, intellectual disabilities, and dementia and/or Alzheimer’s, among others. We also offer pediatric medical care, making us a great choice for busy parents.
Additionally, DispatchHealth offers treatment for COVID-19 symptoms along with in-home COVID-19 tests. Test results usually come back within 1-3 days on average, depending on your area. And don’t worry—we’re taking extensive precautions to keep our patients and staff safe from COVID-19 by thoroughly sanitizing our gear between visits and wearing PPE (including gowns, gloves, and shoe covers around patients with respiratory symptoms).
Conditions We Treat
We proudly treat a whole host of simple to complex illnesses, injuries, and conditions. We can suture wounds and handle minor fractures, treat exacerbations of chronic conditions like asthma, COPD, and CHF, and help you recover from pneumonia or bronchitis, along with a variety of other illnesses. We provide IV fluids and antibiotics, migraine cocktails, 12-lead EKG tests, and strep tests.
In short: We’ll arrive at your doorstep equipped with most of the gear you’ll find in the ER, making us a viable alternative for your urgent medical needs (as long as they’re not time-sensitive or life-threatening emergencies—for those, you should call 911!). Have questions about whether we can treat your condition? Don’t hesitate to give us a call and ask!
Serving the Nashville Community
DispatchHealth is available 365 days a year (including weekends and holidays) from 8am-10pm. You can request care at 615-619-6331, www.dispatchhealth.com or download our user-friendly mobile app in the play store with Apple and Android platforms. We are currently servicing parts of Davidson, Sumner, Wilson, Williamson, and Rutherford counties—based on zip codes. Please reach out to Market Operations Manager, Melody O’Dell with any further questions: melody.odell@dispatchhealth.com
