LifeStream Expands Care Transition Intervention Program to Elwood
Program aims to lower hospital readmissions for area seniors
YORKTOWN – The Care Transition Intervention Program has been expanded to include services now offered at St. Vincent Elwood Regional Hospital, Elwood, through funding made possible by The United Way of Madison County.
The program is designed to assist patients who are at risk of hospital readmission due to chronic health issues. A similar program is available at a few other area hospitals; however, patients at St. Vincent -- Elwood do not have to be Medicare eligible in order to participate in the program.
The program helps patients transition to home-based care once they are released from the hospital; it further helps them to become better health care self-advocates. The program also helps with assisting the client to better understand and follow their hospital discharge plans, their medications, and treatment plans.
Nearly one in five patients discharged nationally from hospitals – approximately 2.6 million seniors – are readmitted with 30 days, at a cost of more than $26 billion every year in the United States.
“We will work with seniors to help them to be able to communicate more effectively with their health care providers and give them tools to better understand and follow their discharge plans,” said Kenneth D. Akins, president / CEO of LifeStream Services, “The ultimate goal is to help seniors live better, healthier lives.”
The program has been successfully implemented for Medicare-eligible patients at Indiana University Health Ball Memorial Hospital, Muncie; Community Hospital of Anderson; Henry County Memorial Hospital, New Castle; and St. Vincent Anderson Regional Hospital, Anderson.
LifeStream, the Aging and Disability Resource Center for East Central Indiana, is a private, nonprofit that works to improve the quality of life for people at risk of losing their independence. Programs and services include care management, transportation, in-home care, care transitions, Senior Cafes, home-delivered meals, guardianships, caregiver support, information and assistance, housing, volunteer opportunities and more.
For more about the agency call (800) 589-1121 or visit online at www.lifestreaminc.org. You can also find LifeStream on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/lifestreamservices