Questions About Care Coordination

• Is there a Care Coordinator designated just to me?

  Yes. You have a designated, credentialed professional Care Coordinator. This individual is part of a larger, diversified wellness and care coordination team that collaborates to provide care across the full continuum of need.
  
  If you ever misplace your Care Coordinator’s name, the person who answers the telephone at Friends Life Care keeps a list of all of our members matched to their Care Coordinators. They can connect you with your Care Coordinator.

• What is the best way to contact my Care Coordinator?

  The phone number for Friends Life Care is 215-628-8964 in the Greater Philadelphia area, 302-426-1510 in Delaware, or 800-496-1985 anywhere else. Your Care Coordinator’s extension can be found on this page: www.friendslifecare.org/about-us/care-coordinators/. His or her email can also be found by clicking the ‘More About’ button under his or her title.
  
  Your Care Coordinator may be out of the office visiting other members when you call as that is how our Care Coordinators spend much of their time. If your call is not urgent, please leave a voice mail message, and your Care Coordinator will contact you as soon as he or she is able.

• What if I am looking for resources or referral recommendations from my Care Coordinator?

  Your Care Coordinator will gladly provide information and recommendations on other services you may need in order to maintain your independence that are not included with your Friends Life Care membership. Your Care Coordinator provides referrals additional services at costs payable in full by you, as invoiced directly to you by the vendor, of which the following are representative but not an exclusive list:
  - Home maintenance (e.g.homemaker services; lawn services; snow removal)
  - Transportation (e.g. grocery shopping, doctor appointments; or finding grocery stores and pharmacies that deliver)
  - Professional services (e.g. financial planning; legal services)
  - Health care services (e.g. remote monitoring technology for which you are not eligible; assistance completing long term care insurance claim forms, purchase of needed medical equipment)
  - Wellness and socialization (e.g. finding exercise and nutrition specialists; socialization opportunities planned specifically for seniors; support groups of all kinds)
  
  The phone number for Friends Life Care is 215-628-8964 in the Greater Philadelphia area, 302-426-1510 in Delaware, or 800-496-1985 anywhere else. Your Care Coordinator’s extension can be found on this page: www.friendslifecare.org/about-us/care-coordinators/. His or her email can also be found by clicking the ‘More About’ button under his or her title.
  
  Your Care Coordinator may be out of the office visiting other members when you call as that is how our Care Coordinators spend much of their time. If your call is not urgent, please leave a voice mail message, and your Care Coordinator will contact you as soon as he or she is able.

• What if I have an urgent need to reach my Care Coordinator?

  For true emergencies, dial 911.
  If your call is urgent and you need attention from Friends Life Care, please know that any one of our Care Coordinators or the Senior Director of Clinical Services who oversees care coordination can assist you. There are Care Coordinators assigned responsibility to be "on call" and handle urgent calls 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

• Does my Care Coordinator work as part of a team?

  Yes. All of our Care Coordinators are highly trained, yet their specializations may vary. The team includes individuals with specialties such as: nursing, occupational therapy, social work, nutrition, fitness and more. Together, they function as a cohesive team to care for our members. Care Coordinators communicate with each other regularly to best serve our members' needs.

• When a member qualifies for care, what sorts of help will they be offered by the Care Coordination team?

  - Design and oversee a personal care plan for a member
  - Dialogue with family, friends, or other support system that the member has identified to receive communication about their care
  - Review a member’s potential health risks and monitor health conditions as they may change
  - Arrange and supervise required care including scheduling non-medical home care services in your home as needed for a member
  - Keep track of a member’s medical conditions, advance directive, and other important aging in place information
  - Evaluate a member’s nutritional needs and make recommendations
  - Coordinate outside healthcare services such as physical therapy, palliative care or other if needed by a member
  - Evaluate and recommend home safety measures so a member can live independently in their home as long as possible

• What is Palliative Care for Friends Life Care members?

  Palliative Care is supportive medical care given to sustain the quality of life of people who have a serious or life-threatening disease or age-related decline. Palliative Care is specialized medical care that members may qualify for at some point and is covered by most insurance plans. The Care Coordination team at Friends Life Care embraces Palliative Care as it ensures a holistic view is involved for the individual and they are not seen as just their ailment. The objective of Palliative Care is to relieve the symptoms of a serious condition as effectively as possible. Symptom management and treatment of the condition may include addressing any related psychological, social, and spiritual concerns.

• How does Friends Life Care help members who have concerns about cognitive decline or who have been diagnosed with a cognitive impairment?

  If a Friends Life Care member has concerns about cognitive decline or has been diagnosed with a cognitive impairment, the team of Care Coordinators can help with access to educational resources, recommendations for further clinical review, or, if eligible, help to set up care in the member’s home that is a fit to their needs.

• Does Friends Life Care have resources for members concerned about cognitive decline or following a diagnosis of a cognitive impairment?

  Yes – the team of Care Coordinators at Friends Life Care stay up-to-date on important resources and are able to refer members to the resources for help, when appropriate. An example of resources include Keystone Clinical Studies , Abramson Healthy Brain and Memory Center and The Penn Memory Center.

• Does Friends Life Care membership help provide non-medical care to assist people with activities of daily living, if and when they qualify for it?

  Yes – membership plans with a financial benefit pay towards hands-on assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs) such as; Bathing, Dressing, Toileting and Transferring. Caregivers may also help with household tasks such as Meal Preparation, Light Housekeeping, and Laundry following the completion of ADL care. Transportation, Medication Management and other such support are fee-for-service options that members and their Care Coordinators review as needed. Members are encouraged to check the details of their individual plan and/or to speak with their Care Coordinator to understand the specifics of what is covered in their financial benefit and what referral services might include.

• Does Friends Life Care membership include opportunities for socialization?

  Friends Life Care recognizes the importance of social wellness for all our members. Socialization opportunities are offered through our VigR(R) Vitality Independence Growth Resilience (TM) programming. Care Coordinators are also skilled at pairing members with resources for socialization opportunities within their communities.