Patience and a plan pay off

Health Home care coordinators find myriad ways to help

Life is all about achieving your goals – no matter how big or small. And sometimes in life we all need a little help in achieving our goals.

Like the 77-year-old Seattle Housing Authority resident who simply wanted to start participating in the Chicken Soup Brigade program, which supplies nutritious food to folks who really need it.

In the midst of stay-at-home mandates imposed by the current COVID-19 pandemic, it was hard for the woman to make contact and get involved with the program. That’s when Ka Yin Standlee stepped in with a little help.

As a care coordinator with Full Life Care’s Health Home program, Ka Yin was able to work with the woman, encouraging her, helping her make the necessary contacts and easing the way.

From left to right: Katheryn Howell, Program Director; Barbara Lewis, Lead Care Coordinator; and Hannah Sateren, Program Specialist.

“Both sides have to be determined to meet the goal,” Ka Yin said. “A client has a goal and we all want to help them achieve that goal.

“As a care coordinator I don’t want to give up on any clients. I want to keep trying. Sometimes our clients may not have the confidence in themselves to achieve the goal. It’s overwhelming for them to complete even a small task. My mission is to help the client believe they have potential to reach their goal.”

Full Life Care’s Health Home staff provide a vital service, but explaining exactly what it is they do is, well, complex.

They service clients who live comfortably in residential settings but need extra help to stay as safe and healthy as possible. Many clients have complicated health situations and ailments. Coordinating doctors, clinics, therapies and medications, and making and keeping medical appointments can be a daunting challenge.

That’s where a Health Home care coordinator comes in. Their title says it all: They coordinate. They also facilitate, counsel, encourage and dig deep to find solutions.

Setting up a three-way telephone conversation between herself, the client and the Chicken Soup Brigade was all the client needed to get her on her way. With that goal achieved, together she and Ka Yin moved on to the next one. Since the client had mentioned that she was afraid of falling, Ka Yin introduced her to the “My Falls-Free Plan,” a risk evaluation regimen designed to help seniors protect themselves from falling.

“I just helped her prioritize her goals so she won’t feel overwhelmed,” Ka Yin said. “She keeps trying. That’s a really good spirit. She’s determined and just needs a little bit of encouragement.”

Every client has different needs. That’s what makes the care coordinator job so challenging — and rewarding.

“We meet the client where they are,” said Health Home Program Director Katheryn Howell. “Indeed, it is all about helping clients achieve their goals.”