Have you heard the news? Episcopal Retirement Services' (ERS) Bee Healthy Wellness Program has been recognized as an "Outstanding Project in the Field of Aging" from our local Association for Professionals in Aging (APA)!
Our Director of Resident & Health Services, Anthony Williams, will receive the award on our behalf at the Tristate APA's annual Awards and Holiday Luncheon on Dec. 14. Tickets for the event are available here.
What is Bee Healthy?
It's an interprofessional collaborative practice (ICP) care model that we launched in July 2015 at our St. Paul Village retirement community in Madisonville.
An ICP, in turn, is defined by the World Health Organization as a practice in which "multiple health workers from different professional backgrounds provide comprehensive services by working with patients, their families, carers [caregivers], and communities to deliver the highest quality of care across settings."
In other words, it's a care model designed to get all the providers and stakeholders talking — and on the same page— about an elder's health and course of treatment.
It breaks down the little cones of silence that often form when one provider doesn't know what the other is doing, and the family or patient has difficulty facilitating communication between them.
Our Bee Healthy Wellness Program partners, Xavier University and Home Care by Blackstone, help our residents and their family caregivers manage health by making available to them free blood pressure clinics, coordinated care transitions and wellness opportunities.
Those wellness opportunities include monthly talks that are designed to help seniors and their caregivers stay informed about a variety of health and wellness topics. Participants also receive a newsletter that highlights wellness tips.
How does it work?
Great question. Here's an example.
Recently, one of our Independent Living residents was having difficulty transferring into and out of bed, and also having trouble performing other daily living tasks. Our care team discussed whether she might be better served by a move into long-term skilled nursing care.
But, after the team discussed her needs, they developed a plan to provide additional assistance to the resident in her apartment, so she could continue safely aging in place in the space she loved.
We worked with her insurance company to cover additional support equipment for her, through what's called a "Reasonable Accommodation" request.
We also set her up with one of our Wellness Coordinators, who closely monitors her physical condition and works with her one-on-one in the retirement community's Fitness Center, to help improve her strength and range of motion.
Since its inception, Bee Healthy has helped many residents at ERS's retirement homes and Affordable Living senior apartment communities to significantly improve their overall health. It's another example of our innovative, person-centered approach to senior living here in the Tristate.
Could the Bee Healthy Wellness Program help you or your senior loved one?
Are you an ERS or Affordable Living resident? Interested in becoming one? Have a loved one who could benefit from care in one of our Ohio, Kentucky, or Indiana senior communities? Person-centered care that includes the Bee Healthy Wellness Program may be the right approach for your needs.
All of our residents are encouraged to participate in the Bee Healthy Program. Participants even receive "Bee Bucks" whenever they attend wellness programs or participate in wellness activities. The Bee Bucks can be redeemed for prizes and more.
If you or your loved one might benefit from senior living here, contact our team. Tell us about yourself and about your needs, and let's arrange a tour for you of one of our communities.
We want to help you feel happy and fulfilled in retirement. We want you to live well into the future. And we want you to Bee Healthy.
