InHealth: Proactive In-Home Care Enhances Ability To Live Independently

By Nicci Kobritz, R.N.

A modern, proactive approach to in-home care is allowing older adults to live more independently with a greater ability to enjoy their day-to-day lives. This Progressive Model of in-home care relies on a comprehensive approach that provides the time and attention to implement a highly personalized care plan with an added emphasis on brain health, which is the foundation for overall wellbeing.

Sadly, the statistics on aging show two out of three adults will become physically and cognitively impaired in a lifetime. Half of those over 85 will develop Alzheimer’s disease, and progressive memory loss means loss of independent living. Many clients come to us for home care because they are experiencing the physical and mental limitations that are related to memory loss. Emphasizing cognitive health places improved wellness within the reach of many who fear that is not possible for them.

Youthful Aging Home Care offers the Progressive Model of in-home care to help clients who want added support through the aging process. This model provides tools that give them the chance to live their best lives independently as long as possible. We have so much more hope for improvement today as scientific research is rapidly advancing our knowledge about how supporting brain health impacts physical capabilities.

Our nurses and caregivers work with clients who want to implement beneficial changes. An individualized wellness program is developed that focuses on modifiable risk factors for cognitive and physical decline. Any unstable chronic conditions that are a factor in cognitive decline are addressed first, and preventive screenings are done for other factors that impact brain health. These include sleep apnea, depression, stress, memory, and vision or hearing impairment. Nutritional deficiencies also are assessed. 

Chronic, silent inflammation is a significant factor in cognitive decline and a host of other conditions including cancer, heart disease, arthritis, insulin resistance and inflammatory bowel disease. To combat this unhealthy condition, we recommend clients follow a Mediterranean diet emphasizing foods that are rich in antioxidants, such as inflammation-fighting fruits and vegetables. An appropriate level of exercise also is a key component for brain health. Routine exercise improves strength and balance, but also increases circulation, which carries vitalizing oxygen to support every part of the body.

In addition to helping clients build their capacity to manage the aging process more proactively, Youthful Aging provides a continuum of in-home care. Companion caregivers help with daily needs such as shopping and meal preparation, light housekeeping, pet care and personal assistant services. Certified nursing assistants and home health aides assist with personal care including bathing, dressing and monitoring chronic conditions. Our nurse assists with clients’ aging-in-place programs by providing consultative care management, assistance with doctors appointments and ensuring care is coordinated among all providers. Communicating with designated family members and continuity of care are priorities whether clients need assistance an hour a day or around-the-clock live-in assistance.

Our goal is always to foster independence for our clients and to help them make progress along the wellness continuum. We help clients implement positive changes that they maintain with encouragement from their caregivers until these changes become a natural part of their routine. It is incredibly satisfying to see the results they are able to achieve and how their progress motivates them to achieve even more.  

Nicci Kobritz, R.N.
Nurse Practitioner
Youthful Aging Home Care
5602 Marquesas Circle, Suite 105, Sarasota, FL 34233
941.925.9532
youthfulaginghomecare.com