04 Oct Care Navigators: The Key To Ultimate Peace Of Mind
At Park Springs, one of the most important roles on our Assisted Living care teams is our Care Navigators. Recently, we sat down with one of our onsite geriatricians, Dr. Khan, to hear why he believes Care Navigators are an essential part of our person-centered care approach.
What do Care Navigators help with?
Dr. Khan: Care Navigators help with making appointments with outside physicians, transitioning referrals, and relaying the most current, relevant health information about a Member to me and our medical team. But in reality, they even help with so much more. I have had Members who have lived on a farm all their lives. And now as they transition to Park Springs, they need social support to understand and live this new way of life. So whether it is using a glucometer or using an iPad, Care Navigators are there to support Members in all their care needs.
Why is the Care Navigator’s role so important?
Dr. Khan: I get to see most Members for about 30 minutes or so, or an hour. The Care Navigators are able to see how they’re doing at home every day, and what their needs are. And they are able to quickly coordinate getting that information back to me so I can assess and accommodate each individual’s specific health needs.
How does the Care Navigator help when a Member moves in?
Dr. Khan: Once a Member decides to move in, the Care Navigator helps by doing a cognitive screening test known as MoCA, designed to assist health professionals like me detect mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease. It’s so important because the screening helps me understand whether the Member might have mild cognitive impairment, normal aging, or advanced dementia. And it helps me determine if they are fit to live in an independent living, or if they should transition to Assisted Living or Long-term Care.
Why is the Care Navigator the key to peace of mind?
Dr. Khan: They give me a peace of mind as they thoroughly assess the Member’s life on a daily basis so I can make sure that I’m doing a good job. That gives the families of Members the ultimate peace of mind because they know they’ve chosen a care team that is working to make sure their loved one has a great quality of life and providing that emotional support so essential in every stage of the aging process.
Contact us today to learn more about our Care Navigators and how they can help you decide what level of care is right for your loved one.