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ElderCare Update in South Florida...ElderCare Update in South Florida...ElderCare Update in South

Diagnosing and Treating Alzheimer’s, Plaza Health Network Advanced

Dementia at Home Could be Key Rehabilitative Care Gets Elderly

for Rural, Low-income Populations Patients Home Quicker

Rural, older Floridians encounter a multitude of factors that put them at higher Plaza Health Network’s award-winning skilled nursing and rehabilitation centers have
risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease (AD) such as limited education, decreased a strategic focus on helping elder patients restore the function they need to resume their
health literacy, low income, increased heart disease, lack of insurance, and limited daily activities at home. Whether a patient is transitioning from hospital to rehab to home
access to health care. Minorities face an additional risk – African-Americans are near- following a surgery, or recovering from a stroke, Plaza Health’s centers customize the
ly twice as likely and Hispanics are 1.8 times more likely than Whites to develop AD. most effective, personalized treatment plans that offer the latest advances in rehabilitative
These disparities are especially prevalent in the culturally diverse, rural commu- care.
nity of Belle Glade located in south central Florida in Palm Beach County, which has When it comes to physical rehabilitation, Plaza Health utilizes the latest technological
a higher percentage of residents over the age 65 (26.5 percent compared with the advances to help patients maximize their recovery. It can be difficult for patients to feel
national average of 18 percent). More than one-third of the residents live below the the contraction of a muscle internally or envision if they are swallowing correctly.
poverty level. Belle Glade is designated as a Medically Underserved Area and a Through the use of audiovisual equipment, patients are provided real-time biofeedback
Health Professional Shortage Area for primary and specialty care. with visual reinforcement. This takes place when an electrical signal travels from the elec-
With only two local physicians and two public primary care health clinics in the trode attached to the patient to a monitor where it produces a particular image. This
area, patients have to wait hours to see a health practitioner and cannot make biofeedback gives a visual cue that the patient is moving muscles in a desired way.
appointments in advance. For older patients, this is a major barrier to seeking health Patients who are recovering from a life-altering event such as a stroke or heart attack and
care. Even if these rural older adults are aware of the need for cognitive assessment, may have issues with non-symmetrical walking or trouble swallowing greatly benefit
there are insufficient providers to screen, diagnose, and treat the illness. These facil- from this technology.
ities are overwhelmed with waiting lists of patients needing appointments, and there In addition, all Plaza Health centers incorporate a telemedicine program into patient
are no urgent-care facilities available in the area. Consequently, residents treat the treatment plans which fosters a collaborative care approach between patients, physicians,
emergency room as the clinic. advanced registered nurse practitioners, nursing staff and remote medical specialists. The
Researchers from the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing at Florida Atlantic technology can collect this data such as vital signs, conditions and clinical information
University have received a $95,133 grant from the Ed and Ethel Moore Alzheimer’s as needed to reassure the patient of his/her progress and inform the clinical team. This
Disease Research Program of the Florida Department of Health to test a novel mech- results in a greater level of care, quicker evaluations, reduced hospital admissions and
anism in Belle Glade for early detection, diagnosis and treatment of AD in the home enhanced outcomes.
setting to reduce AD-related costs in underserved communities. The long-term goal Lastly, Plaza Health centers offer restorative rehab for seniors such as fall prevention
of the study is to create a model for increasing early detection and treatment of AD and balance therapy programs. These customized programs help to reduce risk of injury
that can be replicated in other underserved communities in Florida. A key outcome by screening the patient to determine if they are at risk of falling and designing a person-
of this study is to delay earlier transitions to skilled nursing facilities, which could alized exercise plan that enables the patient to increase mobility and independence.
decrease health care costs by up to 30 percent for people with AD. Prior studies have No two patients have the same needs; therefore, no two treatment plans should be the
shown that Medicaid can provide home care based services to three people for the same. Through the use of technology coupled by addressing each patient’s unique needs,
cost of caring for one person in a long-term care institution. Plaza Health Network centers are redefining rehabilitative elder care, enabling patients to
remain independent as long as possible.

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South Florida Hospital News southfloridahospitalnews.com June 2017 31