Needing a Rapid Response Solution
AT Solva we’re great advocates for planning ahead and being as proactive as possible. We’re also great advocates for being able to stay in your home as long as it’s healthy and safe. But sometimes, even with the best will in the world, life catches up with us and a more immediate solution is needed.
We have been helping seniors and families navigate seniors housing options for 12 years. In that time we have grown our own knowledge and expertise, seen huge changes to the retirement community landscape and learned how to tailor our services to clients, so they’re getting the best and most efficient support from us.
The vast majority of those we help are seniors needing immediate support and guidance. Because of this, we are honing our services to offer a Rapid Response program to clients, who will be moving, or committing to a residence within 120 days.
Why would I need a Rapid Response service?
Hospital Admission(s) – every day we are liaising with social workers, discharge planners and families whose loved ones are in hospital and can’t go home. It is an absolute reality to be told that going home is not recommended and you must find an alternative option in the community. This can be because of a fall, because of cognitive decline and brain change, or maybe because of Failure to Cope, (see below). It could also be that you’ve had several hospital trips in recent months and they’re becoming more frequent. Maybe for pain, for an infection, for specific treatments for cancer or kidney function. After each visit you’re going home but each time is more difficult to get ‘back to normal’ and you’re recognising you need more care and overall supports. Helping seniors find accommodations from hospital makes up 90% of the work we do. We are supported and trusted by the city’s healthcare providers who know that we provide a quick, diligent, honest and impartial service. They also recognise our very strong background in understanding care needs as well as the healthcare system and that we can speak with authority on assisted living, memory care and Long Term Care services.
Failure to Cope – is an actual recognised term, along with Failure to Thrive and it means what it says – you aren’t able to cope anymore with your Activities of Daily Living (dressing, eating, personal hygiene) or your Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (more complex things like managing finances, taking medications accurately, keeping on top of housekeeping). It is often a cycle of not having the energy or motivation to make a meal, which can lead to malnutrition or dehydration. This can also lead to not feeling hungry, and with no enthusiasm….no food, or nutritious food. Hand in hand with this is forgetting medications, or taking them at the wrong time, or doubling up, which can lead to side effects, and make you feel worse; when you have no energy, or motivation…and it continues. Failure to Cope is also seen when someone does have the motivation to do things, but a cognitive decline is making it more challenging. Most instances of FTC are because of brain change and the person isn’t able to keep on top of things, despite their desire to do so. If you are recognising these signs in a loved one, now is the time to move and not wait for a crisis which will invariably result in a hospital visit/stay, only to then be told – as above – it’s not healthy or safe to return home.
Caregiver Burnout – we are helping more and more spouses who can’t continue to care for their loved one by themselves. Even with the support of external caregivers and family, it can be overwhelming, and so we often help to find assisted living or memory care options for one or both of the couple. It doesn’t always have to be higher care that is needed, and we also see couples who each have their own mobility or health challenges but who are ‘muddling along’ benefit from a move where each will be looked after respectively. And, a move to a residence where only one of the couple needs care and support is also totally doable. There can be several options, and an initial respite stay may also be a consideration. If you’re a caregiver and you’re heading towards feeling burned out, or are at that stage right now, please reach out to us. We’re here to strategize with you and offer solutions for how you and your loved one can best be supported. And, that isn’t always for a spouse; you could be a child looking after a parent(s) or a friend or other family member.
In a residence and it’s not the right fit – you’d certainly benefit from our Rapid Response program if you’re in a residence already but it’s not the right fit. That could be because of overall operations, but is more likely to be because your care and needs have changed and your current home isn’t able to support those. You may have chosen this home when you were much more independent and wanted to take advantage of the lifestyle it offered. This is often true of ‘Seniors Buildings’ that offer services and amenities to the 55+ age group, but who are not licensed to provide any care. Or you could be a low care building where there is some support with medication management and bathing, but not for toileting help for instance. Knowing you need to move is not always enough, as many people do try to hang on as long as possible, potentially believing things will improve, or that ‘I’ll move when I absolutely have to’. But as we’ve discussed, no one wants to get into a crisis situation, so try to be proactive. We’ll be able to quickly provide you with other options that meet your current health and budgetary needs, as well as take into consideration what the future could bring.
Knowing it’s the right time to move – you may have been considering a move for a while and haven’t been ready, but now you are! Let us help you navigate the options, educate you on how things work, provide guidance and resources and share referrals to homes that meet all of your needs.
Whatever your situation, we will try our utmost to help.
Please reach out to us at 613-421-6073 and info@solvaseniorliving.ca