Multiple Levels of Care Provides Options

Your recommendation can help establish the right focus for your patients. As a clinician, you understand that these decisions should be inclusive of the levels of clinical support and expertise offered by the senior living community.

As your patients and their care partners search for long-term care options, some things to keep in mind are:

• Is the community your patient is considering somewhere they can age in place? A major benefit of some senior living communities is the multiple levels of care — from independent living to assisted living and memory care — offered within their network. Transfers may be stressful for seniors and can create opportunities for miscommunication and gaps in care.
• Clinical expertise can vary greatly between senior living providers. Encourage your patients and their care partners to look for communities that can triage needs or help to coordinate care should an urgent care need arise. Up-to-date technology, ongoing associate training, and communication tools can foster responsive clinical care as well as improve daily living in areas such as medication management and nutrition management.
• Care coordination is critical to keeping the details of your patient's care on track. Assisted living communities should prioritize and have the systems and processes in place to communicate with physicians, nurses and other clinicians like you to keep you informed of your patient’s health status.
• The impact of socialization on senior health cannot be overstated. Does the senior living provider your patient is considering incorporate and integrate a personalized approach to socialization at the community?

Having the right senior living team can make all the difference. Brookdale is ready to partner with you to help improve senior care.