HomeMy WebLinkAbout2005-08-17 Nurse Advocacy Task Force MinutesNurse Advocacy Task Force - Meeting Minutes
Town Hall, Conference Room
August 17, 2005 - 7:50 9:05 p.m.
1. Present: James Bonazoli, Lyn White, Anne Marie Bourque, Carol Patterson, Dawn Folopoulos (Staff).
2. Apologies for absence were received from Bob LeLacheur.
3. Chairperson: Motion by Dawn to designate James as the Chairperson, 2"d by Lynn.
4. Due to a late start date, our goal is to provide a preliminary report at Town Meeting in November.
5. Discussion about gaps in service, people living longer, lack of nearby family members and a shortage
of living/housing options for frail elders.
6. Discussion about what "Nurse Advocacy" means and what specific tasks are involved. Some of the
tasks mentioned include accompanying frail seniors to doctors' appointments, explaining the senior's
history and symptoms to the doctor and explaining the diagnosis, treatment options and insurance
information to the elder.
7. Discussion of concerns:
■ Frail elders are often afraid to seek help for fear of being put into a nursing home. Consequently,
they are more likely to seek help from someone they trust.
Many frail elders don't know what services are available and are especially vulnerable to being
pushed into nursing homes.
• It is an ongoing challenge to reach isolated elders.
• Advocate should provide guidance for elder's best interest without other interests (i.e. agency's
goals, ability to pay).
• Elders often feel they shouldn't need to pay for services.
■ Frail Elders require a thorough needs assessment.
8. The task force will look at our task in two phases.
Phase I: What is "nurse advocacy?" What services do other agencies/organizations provide to
Reading's frail elders? What services does Reading Elder/Human Services provide? What services
does Reading Health Division provide?
Phase 11: Sources for funding and/or resources
9. Lynn's experience is that many elders at the senior-housing complex don't feel that Reading Elder
Services is available/willing to help them. As a task force we need look at not only the services that
are available but also how approachable and accessible the services are.
10. Next Steps
-Paula will send Dawn a list of services provided by nurse advocates.
-Dawn will create a comparison of currently available services.
-Anne Marie will research models of "Parish Nursing" and "Nurse Advocacy" as a concept.
11. Meeting Schedule: All meetings will begin at 5:30 p.m.
August 31- Town Hall Berger Room
September 14 - Town Hall Berger Room
September 28 - Town Hall Conference Room
October 12 - Town Hall Berger Room
October 26 - Town Hall Conference Room
12. James requested that Paula Koppel be added to our task force list for all correspondences and Dawn
requested that Betty Cronin be added.