Tracey Ferguson loves her 95-year-old grandmother very much. Her grandmother has lived on the same patch of farmland for more than 70 years, and her independence and intelligence are an inspiration to her family. In recent years, however, her mental health has been failing, and Tracey knew something needed to be done. Thankfully, her grandmother is an Ascension Care Management member, so Jessica on her care team was able to step in and help.

“She had been admitted to the hospital, and Jessica talked with the nurses who were in charge of her case,” Tracey said. “She got the records, and from our very first phone conversation I knew I had found my angel. She was caring and concerned not just about what my grandmother was going through, but also what I was going through.”

Tracey already had some legal control over her grandmother’s affairs through a power of attorney for healthcare, but more needed to be done so that she could be moved from her home to a full-time care facility. Dealing with a loved family member who, even though she suffers from dementia, did not want to leave home was difficult, even heartbreaking.

“I’ve never had to deal with anything like this, and I didn’t know where to turn,” Tracey said. “Jessica walked me through everything and talked to me on a regular basis. She’d call just to see how I was holding up, and I can’t say enough about what that meant.”

Ascension Care Management knows that caregivers have unique needs, and work to make sure they get the care they need alongside the Member, Jessica notes.

“One of our aims at Ascension Care Management is to care for the caregiver, and we are very invested in that,” she said. “Tracey was in a hard place, having to tell her grandmother that she couldn’t stay in her own home anymore. It wasn’t safe, and had to be done, but it was very hard. We were able to come in and support her, as well as help get her grandmother into a safe level of care.”

Successful resolution at last

Tracey was eventually granted a full conservatorship, and her grandmother now is safe and secure in an assisted-living facility that specializes in caring for dementia patients.

“I really needed someone who would tell me I was doing the right thing, because it was very hard,” Tracey said. “It was a real role reversal, and very hard to stick to the right path. Between Jessica and the support of my family, we were able to get through everything.”

“I now know she is safe, and I can take care of my grandmother as well as my family to the best of my ability.”

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.