Cobble Hill Health Center: one stop shopping for caregivers
BY TONY LEWIS, CEO, Cobble Hill LifeCare
Tricia had an MBA in finance and was vice-president in a bank where she supervised 30 employees . At work she was decisive and resourceful. But when it came to caring for her aging parents, Tricia was at a loss. When she came to see me in my office at the Cobble Hill Health Center she was agitated. “I need to place my parents in the nursing home,” she said decisively. “ Mom sometimes forgets to turn off the gas when she cooks. My dad needs to be reminded to take his blood pressure medication. Last week he tripped on a rug in the hallway and fell. He’s a big guy and mom couldn’t get him up. He laid there an hour until I could get to him. He didn’t break anything but it really freaked me out. They just can’t manage alone anymore.” Tricia confessed that the stress of worrying about her parents was affecting her ability to function. “I never thought I would do it but I need to make sure my parents are taken care of and safe. I can’t be there all the time. I found this place on the internet and it looked like a good place. I want my parents here.”
I listened patiently. I explained to Tricia that her parents didn’t need a nursing home. They were forgetful but weren’t suffering from Alzheimer’s. They were generally healthy. They could take care of themselves but needed some help and supervision. I recommended moving them to an assisted living facility. They would receive all the services they needed such as meals, cleaning help, companionship and socialization. Above all, the management would keep tabs on their well-being. “Assisted living is the best solution for them and for you,” I told her. “They will feel independent but there will always be someone there if anything happens or they need something.” I recommended a highly regarded facility not too far from where she lived.