Client Profile:

Mrs. Abrams, an 83-year-old woman, has been a client since March 2006. She has Alzheimer's and Parkinson’s disease, glaucoma, cancer, early dementia, failing health, and is on four different types of medications, including twice-daily eyedrops. She requires partial assistance with bathing, dressing, medication management, and getting in and out of bed, and full assistance in using the bathroom, shopping, and preparing food. Before we met her, she was living alone with the help of several part-time aides. Her daughter, niece, and grandson live abroad, and were in conflict over how to help her.

Situation:

Mrs. Abrams, a retired college history professor, was very frustrated and frustrating. Few of the many friends she made through the years were stopping by now, and she was resentful. She was becoming forgetful, had difficulty keeping her balance, and felt she had no reason to get up in the morning. Her attorney noticed her frequent alarming phone calls and attempts to remain in control. She verbally abused her aides and was critical and demanding with everyone else. Her doctors found her difficult, defying their treatment plans. Mrs. Abrams daughter, niece, and grandson lived abroad, were in conflict over how to help her, and weren’t much help at the outset.

Solution:

Mrs. Abrams’ attorney contacted SeniorBridge because she knew the situation was on the brink of disaster. A SeniorBridge care manager stepped in to size up the situation and get to know Mrs. Abrams. She provided round-the-clock caregivers and coordinated physician visits and physical therapy and brought in a nurse to periodically manage medications. The care manager mediated with the distant divided family by phone and e-mail to help plan Mrs. Abrams care, which allowed her to remain at home as long as possible. The caregivers were able to stimulate her interests, walk outside with her in good weather, exercise with her, see that she ate well, and attended to household tasks. The care manager took a personal liking to the difficult but once-fascinating woman. A few more people stopped by to visit now that she was more like her old self. Before long, she had a reason to wake up in the morning.

Prognosis:

A good chance to enhance her remaining years at home.