Growing need for care at home drives SeniorBridge acquisitions

A home health nurse can help make sure medications are in order. Advances in medical technology and therapy are enabling people with multiple health problems to live longer lives, increasing the need for comprehensive care management.

"Families are left to cope with a relative's growing dependency in the midst of their own busy lives, which leads to emotional and physical stress for the whole family," says Mike Brennan, executive director for SeniorBridge. "This results in an increased need for geriatric care management and home care for individuals with chronic health conditions."

With offices in Naples, Marco Island and Fort Myers, SeniorBridge is one of the pioneers in providing geriatric care management and home care for individuals with chronic health conditions. The company was founded in 2000 out of the growing need for care at home.

SeniorBridge addresses the total well-being of clients and their families through a program that includes assessment, planning, service coordination, advocacy and direct care by a multidisciplinary team led by a geriatric care manager.

BRENNAN A geriatric care manager is someone typically educated in the fields of social work, psychology, nursing or gerontology, and trained in the issues related to aging, Linda Cramer, professional development specialist for SeniorBridge, explains. "Just as you may go to a lawyer to prepare your will or an accountant for your taxes, geriatric care managers are trained to assess your medical, environmental and social circumstances. They also have broad knowledge of the local resources available to help you," says Ms. Cramer, who is president-elect of the board of directors for the Florida Geriatric Care Managers Association. A care management program is especially beneficial for patients with complex problems, including chronic medical illnesses such as congestive heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and memory disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, as well as for those who require close oversight and management of care.

There's no place like home

Long-term care has emerged as a pressing need as the oldest Baby Boomers turned 60 in 2006. It is estimated that one in five Americans over age 50 will need long-term care at some point in their lives — as will nearly 70 percent of those who turned age 65 in 2006.

"Eldercare has become a growing concern for federal and state governments as well as individuals, eldercare providers and employers," says Mr. Brennan, adding the need for long-term care is likely to amplify in the years to come.

The biggest demand is going to be for in-home care, as home is often where the elderly feel most comfortable receiving long-term care. A recent AARP survey of Americans over the age of 50 found that 89 percent wanted to stay in their homes as long as possible. More than 80 percent of those who need long-term care currently live in their homes or communities. The home also is considered to be a safer environment for the elderly.

As the home becomes the preferred choice in which to age and receive care, new program models are needed to provide the extensive clinical support that Medicare was never historically intended to offer, Ms. Cramer says. Complex care management of patients in the home setting must become more widely available throughout the United States.

That's where organizations like Senior- Bridge come in. The company provides comprehensive care from branch offices in 26 locations in Florida, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Maryland, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Illinois and Texas. The company also provides care nationwide through the SeniorBridge Care Management Network.

SeniorBridge has expanded locally with the recent acquisitions of Parent Care in Naples, 1st Choice Home Health Care in Marco Island and Naples Health Care Specialists. It also has an office in Fort Myers and will soon open one in the Port Charlotte area.

"These partnerships have provided SeniorBridge with a wealth of knowledgeable and experienced professional care managers in the local community," Mr. Brennan says. "We look forward to further expanding our ability to support clients with complex care needs."

Comprehensive coordination

The company's interdisciplinary approach to comprehensive care includes a team lead by a registered nurse and a master's level social worker. A central task of the team is to assure that those with chronic health conditions are helped across the various points of transition — from primary care, to hospital, to rehabilitation and home.

Among the services are coordination of in-home clinical care, support services and care giving; oversight and training of caregivers; coordination of care with physicians; disease management and monitoring; communication with family members and other professional providers; and quality assurance that care plans are executed and outcomes are monitored frequently. The team also educates patients, families and caregivers about chronic disease and health maintenance and provides assistance with navigating the health care system or with transitioning patients to a new environment.

Benefits of this care management program include better overall physical health and improved quality of life for patients with fewer emergency room visits and hospitalizations. Research points to the decreased risk of emergency room visits and hospital admissions in high-risk, elderly patients who received these types of services.

Without the type of care provided by companies like SeniorBridge, people with chronic conditions would be placed in nursing homes, dementia units or other types of long-term care institutions. Senior- Bridge provides the needed care outside of such institutions, thereby enabling people to live safely in the comfort of their own homes or communities.

"I believe very strongly that the future of chronic healthcare will be to provide care outside institutions," says Dr. Eric Rackow, president and CEO of SeniorBridge. "Our goal is to ensure the very best quality of life for each of our patients."