When his wife passed away, James Clark lost more than a beloved spouse. He lost the person who ran the household, as well as kept up with medicines and doctor’s appointments. Soon he was in and out of the emergency room for low blood sugar and other issues, and didn’t know how to get back on track.

Ascension Care Management care team member Chad, however, was able to step in, and help him get the services and support he needed for an independent, healthy lifestyle. From a phone call after an emergency-room visit to home visits and more, Chad and the care team made an immediate and significant difference in this Member’s life.

“They’ve just been fantastic,” James says. “They helped me in so many ways. Chad went with me to one of my doctors to help explain what was going on. I don’t hear very well, so I wasn’t understanding everything. He was very helpful. And then he helped me get a prescription that I was having trouble with by going through the VA to get it. He helped me get a lot of things sorted out.”

Long-term fixes to ongoing issues

Because James had been unsuccessfully controlling his blood sugar, Chad knew that getting him situated in terms of proper diet was important. He worked with a local agency for in-home services, such as housekeeping and meal preparation, that would serve two goals: make sure James was eating properly, and also give him some company.

“He’d never really run a household, and he was understandably dealing with some depression around his wife’s passing,” Chad says. “She really took care of everything to do with running their household, so he had a lot to cope with. We talked a lot about that loss, and then worked on a plan to make sure that he could have the help he needed to stay at home, and be healthy.”

James only knows that he was having trouble coping, and that Ascension Care Management helped him get back on his feet.

“Chad really helped me get situated,” he says. “I got my medications straightened out, and I have the help I need at home. Things have gotten very good with his help.”

The improved situation also means that James is less likely to be in the emergency room, which means that both he and his care providers can manage his health more effectively.

“We link up our Members with the outside resources they need for longstanding care,” Chad explains. “Now James isn’t suffering from low blood sugar, he has company and he’s managing his home. He’s not going to the emergency room, or being admitted to the hospital, for controllable issues. It’s a great example of how Ascension Care Management works with Members on the immediate issues, gets a long-term plan in place and then just lets them fly.”

What can you do with a helping hand? Contact Ascension Care Management today at 1 (855) 288-6747 or email acmmembers@ascension.org to get started.