By Joann Kuehl
Family Care and Partnership Programs Administrator,
Community Care

Community Care’s recent expansion of Family Care into Kenosha and Racine not only brings services to people with disabilities who have may been on waiting lists for years, it also brings a team approach to care that well serves the wide variety of needs that are faced by people with disabilities.

Our Family Care program serves adults, 18 years old and up, with disabilities, including the frail elderly and those with physical or developmental disabilities. A wonderful aspect of Community Care’s approach in serving this diverse population is that each member’s care is individualized.

A team, made up of a nurse and a social worker, assesses the needs of each member and his or her family. It may be that a person needs equipment or his caregiver needs respite care, to give that caregiver a much needed break. Home modifications or therapy might be what is called for.

The idea is to look at what outcomes we want to achieve and the options available to meet them. The member and/or their family are also active participants in the decision-making process. This individualized assessment is important because something that might be a struggle for one person may not be a struggle for another.

By bringing nurses into the teams, we are able to provide more preventative care. By regularly monitoring our program members, the hope is that we will be able to address changes in someone’s medical condition earlier, helping him stay healthier longer.

As additional resources for the team, we have a consulting psychiatrist, and are in the process of hiring a rehabilitation specialist and a behavioral health specialist. Teams will be able to call on these specialists for consultation and for help in managing the more challenging situations.