How your gifts help elderly patients heal

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How your gifts help elderly patients heal
Frank took regular walks with HELP volunteers so he could stay active while he was in the hospital.

Frank Atwater, 88, fell and injured himself at his home in March. He was admitted to Aurora Sinai Medical Center in downtown Milwaukee.

Hospitalization can be a pivotal point in the life of an older person. All too often, they experience a decline in their physical and mental abilities, which makes it difficult for them to fully recover from their illness and return to their previous ability to function

“It turned out to be more complicated than I thought,” he shared. “I was bedridden for almost a month, but I’m feeling a lot better now.”

In addition to receiving medical care, Frank participates in the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) CoCare©: HELP (Hospital Elder Life Program). HELP is an evidenced-based program that has been in existence for over 25 years. Advocate Aurora Health successfully implemented HELP in 2014, and it is now expanded into six hospitals in our system.

HELP has been shown to reduce the risk of developing acute confusion (delirium) in older adults in the hospital and prevent functional decline. The program is intended to integrate the principles of geriatrics into standard nursing and medical care on any hospital unit, improving older adult patient outcomes.

The focus of HELP is on integrating specially trained community volunteers into the hospital care team providing focused interventions to improve patient outcomes. The volunteers help patients stay physically and mentally active while they’re in the hospital.

“They’re wonderful. I really enjoy their visits,” Frank said. “They take me for nice walks, and we also play checkers. I haven’t played checkers in years – it’s very enjoyable. Sometimes we do light exercises. There’s a lady who plays music once a week and we sing together. My daughter joins us sometimes too.”

Frank, who suffers from dementia, particularly loves receiving the program’s daily information printouts, which include the weather forecast, news stories, games and fun facts.

“I like to work out the puzzles. It keeps my mind active, and I’m learning some new things. You know, at my age, you have to use it or lose it!” he laughed.

Frank is also glad for the companionship he’s experienced over the weeks.

“I have a TV in my room, but it’s not the same as interacting with people. The volunteers are friendly and respectful. We laugh together. They’ve helped me cope with being in the hospital for so long; for a while, it was difficult.”

Laura Kolp, Elder Life Specialist, explains why the program is so important for Frank and other older adults, “While participating in HELP, Frank was able to maintain his skills to continue to enjoy the things that matter most to him, including his family and his church. He looked forward to the visits, as did I and the volunteers, which helped keep his spirits up during a challenging time in his life. I often hear from patients that being in the HELP program makes them feel like they are being heard. We are grateful to have the opportunity to listen and provide meaningful experiences for our hospitalized older adults.”

Frank was discharged from the hospital in May and moved to an assisted living facility to continue his recovery. He’s thankful he was able to participate in HELP.

“The people have all been so nice. I’ve enjoyed it so very much,” he said.

How you can help patients like Frank

Over the past two decades, Advocate Aurora Health has been a leader in care of acutely ill older adults. Our health care system has worked to address the complex needs and gaps in care for vulnerable older adults, both in urban and rural settings. Leading our systemwide Aging Well initiative, the Senior Services team has successfully developed, implemented, and disseminated evidence-based models of care, like HELP, across the health care system.

To support the growing needs of older adults, the team relies on philanthropic support to advance geriatric care.

To find out about how you can support programs like HELP or to learn more, please contact Robyn Wohlfeil at robyn.wohlfeil@aah.org.