Getting Started
Initial Complimentary 20-minute Phone Conversation with Lena
You’re invited to call, text or email Thrive Elder Care Coaching and Consulting to schedule your initial complimentary 20-minute phone conversation with Lena to find out if you are a good fit and identify the best next steps in partnering together.
Comprehensive Needs Assessment
After the initial phone conversation with Lena, a Comprehensive Needs Assessment will be scheduled at a time that is convenient for you. This session can take place remotely or in your home.
During this 60-minute session, Lena will get to know you and your challenges by performing a clinical life skills assessment where she gathers information about your current levels of function with life skills such as self-care, household management and medication management; any medical diagnosis that are impacting you currently; and your overall needs and goals for working together.
Based on findings during the Comprehensive Needs Assessment, a personalized action plan that is tailored to your specific needs is generated by Lena in partnership with you and your loved ones.
Clinical Functional Cognitive Testing
As a licensed Occupational Therapist, Lena is professionally trained and experienced in administering and interpreting Clinical Standardized Cognitive Assessments to be used as a resource to assess functional cognitive skills. Cognition is at the center of everything we do and our brain function is essential for us to perform everyday tasks. Lena is unique in that she combines her clinical observation skills as an OT with Standardized Assessment Tools. The results of this thorough cognitive testing will allow you and your loved ones to have an increased understanding of current levels of cognitive function impacting life skills, safety awareness, and overall daily function. The results further support targeted care planning and will identify those who require supervision for maximum safety. A detailed written report summarizing the assessment results will be generated and shared with you. The assessment procedures and testing results will be explained so that you can walk away feeling educated and informed. The results of these Clinical Functional Cognitive Assessments is then used to generate an action plan for appropriate intervention and care as you work with Lena. You may even wish to share this information with your entire medical team. Standardized Cognitive Assessments are Evidence Based and Validated by Science. They are effective and reliable tools to detect cognitive decline and memory loss.
Please note, these Functional Cognitive Assessments are NOT intended to be used as Clinical Diagnostic Tools. Furthermore, the results will NEVER replace any medical advice that you receive from your Physicians. Test scores are intended to be used to assess cognitive health and predict functional performance with ADLs (Activities of Daily Living) and I-ADLs (Instrumental Activities of Daily Living) NOT to diagnose.
Consultations
Lena’s consultation offerings are aimed at assisting you when you’re not sure what to do next. With her solution-oriented expert guidance, she will assist in bringing forward options, finding clarity, and creating a plan before you and your loved ones find yourself in crisis because there was no plan. She will assist you in making plans for your future so that you can gain the knowledge you need to make informed decisions and move forward with more confidence and peace of mind. Her intention is that you will walk away with informed perspectives and helpful strategies to make informed decisions for yourself and your loved ones.
Dementia Care
Lena is a Certified Montessori Practitioner for Eldercare with focus on Dementia Care. Montessori principles are based on a person-centered approach that emphasizes ‘doing with’ rather than ‘doing for’ the individual. It fosters autonomy and purposeful living by adapting environments and activities to match the individual’s current functional abilities. Lena has a broad understanding of dementia and how it impacts not only the one diagnosed with dementia, but the entire family unit. She will guide you towards maximum levels of engagement in meaningful activity as you continue to find purpose while living with dementia. Her approach fosters decreased isolation, improved functional life skills, decreased behavioral challenges, improved mood, increased self-esteem, and overall improved quality of life. Lena offers family and caregiver education and training to increase your understanding of dementia and how it impacts every aspect of life. She will offer interventions and creative solutions that fit your current needs. She can work with you and your loved ones in all care settings ranging from home to extended care, including Memory Care settings.
Thriving at Home
As an Occupational Therapist, Lena specializes in using her clinical observation skills to determine the client’s current levels of function and independence with Activities of Daily Living. She combines this with her Home Safety Assessments to determine if intervention and modifications are recommended to ensure that the client’s safety, independence, and function at home is maximized. Lena uses her expertise to provide intervention, training, and support so that you and your loved ones can safely age in place for as long as possible. She will make recommendations for home safety modifications, such as grab bars and handrails if need be, as well as durable medical equipment, such as walkers, shower seats, and hospital beds if beneficial for safety and fall prevention. She offers family & caregiver training and tailored safety education. She will connect you with appropriate community resources, such as alternate modes of transportation, community support groups, and many other local community resources. She can also support you as you explore the possibility of hiring private caregivers when appropriate.
Choosing a Care Setting
Are you or your loved ones considering moving to a higher level of care? Choosing a new care setting can feel overwhelming. You may wonder what your options are if it’s no longer safe to live at home. Lena will consult with you and provide personalized guidance to find the best fit and make the transition as smooth as possible for you and your loved ones. She offers guidance before, during, and after a move supporting you and your loved ones every step of the way. With Lena’s clinical experience and background working as an Occupational Therapist in a multitude of settings, including Independent Senior Living Centers, Assisted Living Facilities, and Long-Term Care Settings, she is a highly qualified consultant as you are choosing and transitioning to a new care setting. Additional hands-on sessions are available for adjustment before, during, and after the move.
Eldercare Life Coaching and Ongoing Support
In 60-minute elder care life coaching sessions, Lena offers ongoing guidance and support for those who are either in the process of navigating their own aging journey or caring for loved ones who are. With her background in Occupational Therapy and an experienced coach, she supports you as you move through some of life’s most challenging transitions. You’ll learn about potential barriers to thriving, develop and deepen helpful coping strategies, identify beneficial community resources, and expand your overall sense of comfort and ease with which you navigate forward. You can explore related topics such as finding ongoing meaning and purpose in everyday life while aging or caring for the aging, staying active and connected, grief processing, adjustment to transitions, combating isolation, long term care planning, end of life planning, and general strategies for wellbeing and quality of life. You don’t have to face these challenges alone. Let’s talk about it.