Relatively few assisted living operators can effectively manage rising acuity levels among their residents, a blog appearing in Forbes contends.
Many adult children find they are still responsible for coordinating care between staff, healthcare providers and hospitals, writes Anne Tumlinson, who is the founder of an advisory firm that bears her name.
This continuing burden also can include keeping tabs on medications and arranging transportation to medical appointments.
Tumlinson notes that a few innovative operators are beginning to respond to heightened needs by offering services that combine traditional programs with onsite medical management.
One example cited is Presbyterian Homes and Services, which lets nurse practitioners deliver primary care services at its Minnesota communities.
Juniper Communities (a firm Tumlinson has worked with) is mentioned as another innovator. Its operators link staff, nurse practitioners and “medical concierges.”
But her message is clear: Such trailblazers are hard to find. Moreover, families can fairly question why a business that brands itself as assisted living often fails to deliver much-needed assistance, she notes.
From the February 01, 2018 Issue of McKnight's Senior Living
