VITALITY’S CARE COORDINATION AND CONSULTATION SERVICES

Director of Care Coordination and Consultation, Mimi Schaible, and Care Coordinator, Betsy Roberts, meet with an elderly resident at her senior living facility, to discuss service options.

The Care Coordination and Consultation Program of VITALity Catholic Healthcare Services of the Diocese of Camden began in December of 2015 and has served over 350 individuals so far.

Care Coordinators are registered nurses and social workers who assist seniors and persons with disabilities in obtaining the care that they need at home. (Seniors and persons with disabilities or their loved ones can access the services of Care Coordinators by calling 1-888-26-VITALity or 1-888-268-4825.)

They are caring professionals who will meet you in the privacy of your home or a parish setting and talk about your concerns and the services that are available to you. VITALity’s nurses and social workers are experienced in navigating the health care system and helping others through the complex process of today’s medical system.

The goals of the Care Coordination and Consultation program are for individuals to remain as healthy and independent as possible while maintaining the highest level of physical, spiritual and emotional vitality when encountering the challenges of aging or disability. Care Coordinators access a variety of diocesan programs and services as well as community, medical and social service programs to help meet the patient and caregivers needs.

Since December of last year, VITALity’s Care Coordinators have assisted both young and old, seniors and persons with disabilities, in receiving the services that they need the most to remain in their own homes. Working with a variety of agencies and groups, services such as Meals on Wheels, Home Health Aides, Homemakers, Home Visiting Doctors, Nurses, Mental Health Therapists, Health Insurance, Rehabilitation Services, Companions, Transportation and more, have been arranged.

Coordinators have also assisted patients and caregivers in applying for programs such as prescription assistance, energy assistance, and grants for help at home for Alzheimer’s disease and multiple sclerosis. Often individuals do not know what they are eligible for until the Care Coordinator assesses their needs and identifies specific programs for them.

The following note from a grateful caregiver is a testimony to how Care Coordinators can help individuals:

“Thank you for helping me with my two elderly parents. You were a great asset to me in my search for ways to accommodate them in their daily needs. The Coordinator sat and spent time with me, assessing their problems. Whenever I contacted her, she was always pleasant, compassionate and went out of her way to provide care and concern. This was a great benefit to me also, providing support and encouragement through all the struggles of trying to keep my parents in their own home instead of a nursing facility.”

To find out more about the program or to arrange for a Care Coordination for yourself or a loved one call the VITALity Resource and Referral Help Line at 1-888-26VITALity or 1-888-268-4825.

Written by: Mimi Schaible, Director of Care Coordination and Consultation, VITALity Catholic Healthcare Services