Jessica was helping her father, Bob, move out of a nursing facility where he had resided for more than 6 years. Jessica and Bob felt that the pandemic had taken a toll on him and that his health would improve if he were living at home with her. Bob is a wheelchair user and relies on nursing facility staff for many of his activities of daily living. Jessica would have to ensure that his needs could be met at home before the move could be made.
Moving from a nursing facility into the community is a process that can be overwhelming for the person moving and for family members assisting with the move. The nursing facility had connected Jessica with an agency to assist with the transition, but Jessica didn’t feel like she had a good grasp of the options available to Bob. That’s when she reached out to Disability Network Southwest Michigan and was connected to an Options Counselor. Jessica talked with one of our Options Counselors who explained what they could expect during the course of Bob’s transition back to community-based living. They also discussed home and community-based services available to Bob for his specific needs. Jessica commented to our counselor that this had been the most helpful information she had obtained and that she now felt more confident about moving her father home.
Options Counseling is a service Disability Network provides to assist people when they are wondering if they need to make a change in their living situation due to their health. Our staff can help identify services to assist with home-care needs and long-term community supports tailored to the individual’s personal needs and their financial situation. Our Options Counselors can assist people in identifying and connecting to services that will allow them to live independently.
Follow this link for more information about Options Counseling or contact Lisa Brink at (269) 345-1516 x111 or toll free at (877) 674-5209.