Pursuit of Happiness
By Alexander Germanis
Life rarely works out the way we plan. Nevertheless, our ability to adapt to our changing circumstances is what enables us to seek and find happiness all the same.
Sometimes, however, adaptation may be difficult to do on our own and we may need to seek help in order to live a fulfilling, joyful life. This may be particularly true for many seniors.
Fortunately, that help can be found at CCSI Case Coordination in Bloomington. There, Community Care Systems, Inc. (CCSI) staff of case coordinators and counselors strive to make people’s senior years simply another part of life – one that can and should be enjoyed.
Changing Course, Changing Attitudes
Adaptation knows no age range. For CCSI Older Americans Act Program Supervisor Annette Morrison, she began to adapt to changing life circumstances while still in college. As she earned her degree in fine arts, her grandfather, Cy, experienced deteriorating health. Her mother and aunts fought an uphill battle taking care of him.
“It was very difficult on them because Cy was stubbornly independent. My mom and aunts had to make a difficult decision and convinced him to move into a skilled nursing facility,” Annette recalls. “I was very close to my grandpa, and it was so difficult being away and not being able to see him during all of this. The night Cy moved into the care center he died in his sleep.”
Due to his age, his cause of death was cited as “natural causes,” but Annette and her family knew better. “He died because he didn’t want to be there,” Annette states. “He always said, ‘Nursing homes are where people go to die.’ So, he did. The only thing that took my grandfather’s life at that point was his attitude. I decided to devote myself to changing the way we think about aging.”
Completing a master’s in Geriatrics – Human Development and Family Studies at Iowa State University, Annette dedicated her thesis to her late grandfather. “Elderly Resident Life Integration in Nursing Home Activity: A Qualitative Study.” Her love for Cy and her unbridled curiosity carved a career that soon became a calling at CCSI.
Working alongside Annette are McLean County CCU Supervisor and Assistant State Director Christy Lear. Christy has been passionate about working with older adults for more than 15 years, helping them to maintain their independence and lessen isolation.
Community Care Program
When the Declaration of Independence was written, the phrase “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” became an American mantra. This statement loses no power when applied to seniors. “It is a basic human right to be able to set your own schedule, make your own decisions, and live as independently as possible,” Annette declares. “Staying in your own home with family and community support is the ideal situation. Plus, the longer a person remains living in the community, the longer they are involved in the community, the local economy, and are less reliant on taxpayer programs.”
CCSI’s Community Care Program and home and community-based services aim to preserve a senior’s independence and everything they have worked and lived toward establishing. “Care Coordinators complete in-home assessments, focusing on person-centered planning,” Annette explains. “They use the Comprehensive Case Coordination Assessment to look at all aspects of the senior’s life – social, health, supports, financial, mental health, nutrition, environmental and caregiver – to pinpoint unmet needs.”
After the assessment, the coordinator will make referrals to any programs or services that will meet those needs. Should the senior qualify, the Community Care Program services can include home care aide, Emergency Home Response Service, money management, home delivered meals, automated medication dispenser, and in some counties, adult day services.
Once a senior is enrolled, the Care Coordinator will continue to check up on them on a monthly basis to address any emergency needs that may arise. The coordinator will also visit in person every six months, or, Annette says, “Any time the senior requests a change in services or are admitted and discharged from the hospital to make sure their plan of care is still meeting their needs.”
PEARLS
Just because life can be unpredictable should not mean it should be limited. For many seniors, however, limitations may seem to pile up. The Program to Encourage Active, Rewarding Lives (PEARLS) was created with them in mind.
Whether experiencing mobility issues, financial limitations, a restricted ability to drive, or failing vision or hearing, PEARLS is a standardized program now offered through Older Americans Act funding. “A counseling method based on positive behavior activation, PEARLS has four features going for it to make it a positive experience,” Annette outlines. “One: It is short-term. A PEARLS participant is in the program for about one year, so once they complete the program, they will have developed skills they can continue to use on their own. Two: It doesn’t require visits to a psychiatrist or medications. Three: PEARLS is done where the participant is most comfortable. Four: PEARLS has no fees. Donations to CCSI are accepted, but not required.”
Annette continues: “Measuring for positive outcomes, such as fewer hospitalizations, more social connection, lower Geriatric Depression Scale scores, and feedback from participants all showed that PEARLS helped older adults rediscover interests and hobbies, learning to adapt them to their current way of life. Positive change helps offset some of the less than wonderful aspects of aging, lifting their mood and depression.”
While depression may come with aging, it is not normal to the aging process, says Annette. Shrinking social circles, mobility limitations, and health issues can certainly lead to depression. Fortunately, CCSI’s PEARLS Geriatric Counselor, Allie, can help seniors work through their anxieties. “It’s a sort of triage and personal coaching to help them get in a better mind space to work on positive behavior activation,” Annette explains. “The beauty of it is that we also offer this work through our Senior Information Services Specialists. Once participants get to know our agency through our PEARLS Geriatric Counselor, they become much more comfortable reaching out to us as a trusted resource for other assistance.”
Who Cares for the Caregivers?
For most senior members of our society, there is usually a caregiver who fills an important role in their life. A caregiver might be a neighbor who checks in on a daily basis, a grown child who takes them to every doctor’s appointment, or someone who helps them with the activities of daily living. “Without them,” Annette says, “many more people would be placed in long term care settings. Caregivers are often doing caregiving ‘in their spare time.’ It is rarely just dropped on someone suddenly – it is a slowly evolving process.”
“As the caregiving role becomes more demanding on the caregiver’s financial, physical, and mental resources, caregivers can experience burnout,” Annette continues. The mental, financial, and physical toll caregiving can take can render that caregiver unable to continue and the one in their care may end up needing a higher level of care.
The CCSI Caregiver Advisor, Angie, can use the TCARE assessment process to help a caregiver determine what their specific needs are and link them to local, state, or federal resources to meet their needs. “This information,” says Annette, “can help them develop a care plan for the caregiver to help train, validate, and promote healthier self-care.”
Caring for caregivers is beneficial for the one needing care, the one giving it, and even the community in general. “Offering an in-home services program for occasional assistance is much less expensive on the state’s budget (backed by taxpayer dollars) than Medicaid paying for a permanent skilled care stay,” Annette points out. “Reaching out to caregivers early in their role can give us a chance to educate, advise, refer, and recommend services to make transitions much easier.”
More Ways to Help
CCSI employs a trained staff to help with the varied needs of the senior population, helping in any way they can to maintain each senior’s continued pursuit of happiness.
They offer a list of services and benefits, including – but not limited to – Senior Information Services, Senior Health Insurance Counseling (SHIP), Healthy Aging Classes, Medicaid, Medicare Savings Programs, extra help with prescription drug costs, Benefit Access Application, Senior Homestead Exemption, Senior Homestead Tax Freeze, Connect Mobility, Energy Efficiency Offering, Peace Meals, housing applications, Care Connections Grant, and Illinois Talking Books.
As for the ever-changing and often confusing Medicare system, CCSI’s SHIP Counselors are trained to navigate those waters so seniors don’t need to on their own. “We make sure to check that medications are covered, doctors are in network, and will revisit their choices every fall during Medicare Open Enrollment,” assures Annette. “We help the person establish goals, a timeline, and sometimes can even assist with small financial issues utilizing Flexible Community Service funding.”
“Every staff person we employ brings an attitude of service, compassion, and unique skills to their position in order to help older adults and those with disabilities in our community,” Annette concludes. “I am honored to work with an exemplary group of dedicated and talented people, who help bring peace and solutions to so many families in our McLean County area.”
CCSI Case Coordination, LLC is located at 3601 General Electric Road, Suite 2, in Bloomington, Illinois. CCSI staff are always doing community presentations to educate families and older adults about the services we offer. To schedule a presentation, please contact Annette Morrison at 306-661-6400. Or reach out to us on the web at www.ccsiccu.com.
