Kendal at Home is your partner for living life on your terms, in the place you love.
Our care coordinators are the people who make that partnership possible. They help you design a plan that fits who you are and how you want to live now and in the future.
This past year, our eight care coordinators arranged for over 176,500 hours of service for our 451 members — an incredible feat.
But these hours don’t come close to telling the full story.
Here’s a closer look at how our care coordinators help you stay independent and stay supported.
Most of our members join Kendal at Home when they’re healthy and don’t have care needs.
They often ask why they need a care coordinator. Then they get to know them.
Care coordinators meet regularly with members to get to know who they are, who they love and how they define living their best life.
Long before members need care, coordinators can offer emotional support and assistance with planning. They get to know their family members, friends and neighbors and become a part of their network.
One in four older adults, or about 14 million, reports falling each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About nine million of those falls result in injuries that restrict mobility for at least a day.
Our care coordinators have implemented an evidence-based prevention program to help members avoid falls through a combination of home modifications, balance exercises, and other proactive strategies.
This is just one example of how we are able to intervene and help members stay healthy and independent, avoiding injury and the need for care as long as possible.
Care coordinators also conduct annual assessments to identify needs early and develop any necessary plans.
For instance, a member with macular degeneration may begin to have difficulty driving.
With something as simple as a referral for a personal shopper, she’s able to continue to make the meals she loves.
From the initial pre‑assessment and plan‑of‑care meeting, your care coordinator builds a personalized care plan around what matters most to you: remaining healthy and independent in the home you love, on your terms.
Together, you’ll map out who will provide support (including family, friends, and professional caregivers) and the level of help you may want at different points.
Care coordinators build relationships with each member so they can provide support and advocacy as needed.
For instance, they can recommend trusted providers to help with home maintenance and yardwork or suggest modifications, such as adding handrails, to reduce the risk of falling as you age.
We also help you think through legal and financial considerations that support independence over time, and we revisit your plan at regular check‑ins so it can adjust to your life changes.
Because our care coordinators have deep expertise in many areas, they become an extension of our members’ medical teams.
For instance, one care coordinator accompanied a Kendal at Home member to the hospital after he fell in his home. She noticed his hand was bruised and urged the medical team to order X‑rays. They confirmed the fracture, allowing him to receive the right treatment so he could quickly start healing and avoid complications.
Another member began experiencing frequent fatigue and shortness of breath — symptoms her physician said were age-related and not concerning.
However, her care coordinator knew she was active and hadn’t experienced this before. The care coordinator pushed for testing, which revealed atrial fibrillation, or an irregular heart rhythm that can cause strokes and heart failure. Now that she knows she has this condition, she’s able to manage it and control it with medication.
In another scenario, a member fell and broke both wrists and her knee while on vacation with her husband. Her care coordinator set up a hospital bed on the main floor of her house and arranged for an in-home caregiver to help her heal at home, rather than in a hospital.
Our care coordinators also help you plan for routine procedures, such as knee replacements or cataract removal, and support a smoother recovery.
Without a plan, older adults often stay in the hospital longer, where they tend to be less mobile and are more likely to develop hospital-acquired infections.
Sometimes older adults and their adult children have different visions of what is best for them or what level of care they need. Care coordinators work closely with members to create a plan before they need care and ensure they stay in control of their future.
While we provide guidance, coordinate care and manage payments, our members always make their own decisions.
Care coordinators also maintain strict confidentiality and respect the wishes of our members. This allows them to have in-depth discussions, help them navigate difficult decisions, and involve others only when the member wants them to be involved.
Becoming a member of Kendal at Home is an investment in independence that helps you to stay healthy and in the home you love knowing you’ll have support when it’s needed.
Care coordinators build relationships with members while they’re healthy and help them take proactive steps to stay independent.
Learn more about how care coordination works at Kendal at Home. Join us for an informational seminar in person or online.