Page 53 - Senior Link Magazine Summer 2021- Online Magazine
P. 53
EXCEPTIONAL SENIORS
The program is affiliated with Sally also provides psychotherapy Senior Housecalls were unable to
the Combest Clinic, which is for patients with mental health operate their phones for a zoom
a Federally Qualified Health needs and assesses them to ensure visit. COVID also prevented Sally
Care Center. Patients are billed their environmental needs are from enrolling new patients into
for services through Medicare, met, as well as providing service their program, resulting in a
Medicaid, and commercial connection and navigation as decrease in their patient load.
insurances. If a patient is needed. Sally states that, most
unfunded by one of these payor often, their senior patients need However, as COVID restrictions
sources, Senior Housecalls offers education on how to operate are being lifted, Sally Coates and
a sliding scale to assist them with their phones and assistance with her team at Senior Housecalls
their health needs. updating information for benefits have a bright outlook. Their
from online platforms. goal is to rebuild their census
Sally states that they have learned, with the goal of reaching 400
over the years, that, in addition Like most agencies across the patients, which will allow for
to aging individuals, younger South Plains, during the COVID another Nurse Practitioner to
disabled people face some of the Pandemic, Senior Housecalls serve patients across Lubbock and
same health disparities as their faced unique challenges. COVID the surrounding areas. One by
older counterparts. Therefore, prevented Senior Housecalls one, Senior Housecalls intends to
Senior Housecalls has opened from making in-home visits for make a difference with the people
their services, on a case-by-case most of 2020. The staff of Senior they serve by bringing care and
basis, to the disabled population. Housecalls managed to maintain hope into the homes of those who
contact with their clients by desperately need them.
Senior Housecalls provides phone. Phone visits were made
primary care, which includes by both the Nurse
in-home medical visits by a Practitioner and
Nurse Practitioner and a Social Sally; however,
Worker. Senior Housecalls can they felt that herrin
provide lab work and x-rays, this population
write prescriptions and offer of aging and
referrals to specialists. They disabled patients h real estate
utilize the Combest Clinic van needed face-
for transportation to specialists' to-face contact
offices at Texas Tech University for a variety of ron herrin broker
Health Sciences Center. This reasons. Home 806.773.6512
service is at no cost to the Health required ronherrin1@gmail.com
patient. Senior Housecalls a face-to-face
currently provides services to visit or a zoom
Lubbock, Slaton, Shallowater, visit by the Nurse
New Deal and all the rural areas Medicare to h
Practitioner
surrounding Lubbock. in order for
Senior Housecalls provides much
more than just primary care. The pay them for
patients whom they serve may their skilled
need assistance with utilities, nursing services.
medications, relocation and/ Unfortunately,
or medical equipment; they are many of the
referred to community agencies. patients with
Lubbock Senior Link 53
