The WWII Pilot
The hero was 99 years old when he came into our lives. We had the privilege of working with The Colonel during the last year of his life.
His family in Tennessee called Paladin in to provide oversight and assure that all of his medical needs were being met. We became their local boots on the ground. 24/7 care was already in place at his home making sure his other needs were met.
Due to age-related cognitive decline, The Colonel had been lashing out at his caregivers. Among other things, this made it a challenge for them to get him to medical appointments.
RN Care
Our RN Care Manager took over that task, advocating for him and working with his doctor at the Veterans Administration hospital. Later on she was able to facilitate concierge doctors to perform cognitive exams at his home. From their evaluations, it was determined that the time had come for his Power of Attorney to step in and make life care decisions for him, to help him continue to live life as easily as possible.
Client Care
Our Client Care Manager (CCM) was able to assist in several ways. She helped coordinate bathroom renovations to accommodate his physical limitations. At her request, his attorney was able to research and confirm that he was getting all the benefits due to him, including
proper attention to his finances
. That had been in doubt after an
anonymous call to Adult Protective Services (APS) had implied elder abuse and financial exploitation of the Colonel. Our CCM researched the issue and discussed it with the APS agent and resolved the case as "unfounded".
Inclusiveness
For the Colonel's 100th birthday, his family wanted him travel to Tennessee and enjoy a celebration. Although we knew he would not be able to make this trip, he
enjoyed being involved in the many family discussions about the event, which included a lovely lady jumping out of a cake!
Two days before he passed away, our CEO Alice Paxton visited, knowing he had not been very communicative for several days. So she asked him about the airplane on his wall, something she knew represented an important moment in his life. He responded, recalling the dramatic moment he had to bail out due to enemy attack, which led to even more conversation!
This shows why it's critical to really get to know your clients. Then, sometimes it just takes a spark.
The Army Veteran
This veteran hired Alice to be his Power of Attorney (POA) should he need help making life care decisions in his later years. All was quiet for two years when, unexpectedly, we received a call from a neighbor telling us that our client had suffered a stroke. We immediately jumped into action with our registered nurse arriving at the hospital to provide oversight and advocacy. Also, one of our staff members volunteered to take care of his beloved cat while he was rehabilitating.
As the days passed by and he grew stronger, he moved from the hospital to a rehab facility. With regular visits, our RN Care Manager advocated for him to continue rehab from home, as he desired. In order to accommodate his needs, our team arranged for his home to be outfitted with a medical bed on the first floor and for him to receive the appropriate 24/7 in-home care.
Although our veteran retained mental cognition and the ability to make decisions for himself, the stroke left him with impaired speech and minimal movement on his right side.
All of his energy was dedicated to his recovery. So he decided to enact the POA, having Paladin assist in managing his finances. He was able to sign the POA affidavit with his left hand. From there, we were able to access his accounts and work with his financial advisors to manage monthly expenses, including budgeting.
Paladin's Do-Not-Give-Up Passion
After a few weeks at home and frustrated with his physical limitations, our client wanted to give up and asked us for a do-not-resuscitate order. We would have none of this talk!
First we reunited him with his beloved cat. A HUGE smile! Then, our team researched and hired a private physical therapist to come to his home twice per week to work with him. This was a turning point.
His outlook dramatically improved and we began to see the hope return to his eyes. He started reconnecting with friends and neighbors, became actively involved with his care plan and enjoyed his once per week delivery from his favorite Chinese restaurant!
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These special moments are what we work for and, during their last days, part of what our clients live for.
If you have a loved one who needs care coordination, give us a call. We are here to help.
Sincerely,
Alice
Alice Paxton, CEO
Paladin Life Care
