Health Autonomy Comes in All Shapes and Sizes

How Culturally Tailored Care Management is Helping Safeguard the Health of America’s Diverse (and Growing) Senior Population

Over 53 million Americans are now 65 or older, and that number is expected to nearly double over the next 40 years. Our nation’s seniors are also becoming steadily more diverse as a group, and are more determined than ever to “age in place” in their own homes. In the process, they are adding a new aspect to the list of U.S. freedoms: Health Autonomy, meaning that everyone in the U.S. has access to the care and support that allows them to successfully manage their health at home as they grow older.

Because America’s seniors are such a culturally and ethnically diverse population, Health Autonomy also requires a versatile and flexible approach that varies according to the individual. Today, the ability of doctors, hospitals and other care providers to tailor their services to people’s ethnic and cultural backgrounds has never been more important. Among the key partners in this quest are managed long-term care (MLTC) health insurance plans, like VNSNY CHOICE. These plans are designed to work closely with both plan members and their healthcare providers to provide customized solutions that help keep members’ health on track.

With this in mind, I’d like to share inspiring portraits of four Americans who, with the support of their providers and MLTC plans, are pursuing their own version of Health Autonomy — blazing a new and diverse trail of proactive health management for other seniors to follow.

Preserving Old Connections and Making New Ones

When Seo-Yun’s* family found her a ground-floor apartment close to their own home, they were pleased that her new residence would make it easier for her to function with her congestive heart failure and diabetes. But following the move, she suddenly felt lost. She was far from the providers who knew her medical history and spoke her native Korean, living in a neighborhood she didn’t know. Fortunately, Seo-Yun was enrolled in an MLTC insurance plan, and as soon as they became aware of the situation, the plan’s care coordinators stepped in. “Their call center connected my aunt with a representative Ken who spoke Korean,” says Seo-Yun’s niece. “He explained that door-to-door ambulette transportation for medical appointments was covered at no cost to my aunt, enabling her to continue seeing her cardiologist and primary care doctor.” Since then, the niece adds, Seo-Yun has not missed an appointment and feels much more in control.”

“It means so much when someone listens to you and puts themselves in your place,” says Seo-Yun. “My care coordinator also encourages me to explore my new neighborhood. I found a grocery store on the block where I can buy healthy food that helps me control my sugar, and I learned that there is a small Korean community nearby. I am getting out and walking more, meeting my neighbors and feeling stronger.”

The Re-Education of a U.S. Marine Veteran

Rey*, a Latino New Yorker who is also a U.S. Marine veteran, had been to the ER twice recently with dizzy spells related to his worsening high blood pressure, but he seemed uninterested in addressing his underlying health issues. “I’m going to live as long as I live. I’m 65, no need to change now,” was his philosophy. Fortunately, his MLTC plan’s care coordinator Charles saw it differently. Charles knew that members of the Latino community are at an elevated risk for high blood pressure — which, if left untreated, can lead to heart and kidney disease, stroke, and other life-threatening illnesses. He also understood the personal and cultural barriers that were stopping Rey from seeking more aggressive care.

“Charles knew how to talk to me,” Rey says today. “When he found out I was a veteran, he said he was sending me back to boot camp — which meant seeing my heart doctor regularly, monitoring my blood pressure, taking all my prescribed meds, and going for long daily walks. He also said I could continue to eat the Dominican dishes I loved, as long as I cut back on the salt and replaced it with other spices. Since then, I’ve actually dropped some weight and my blood pressure is no longer spiking. And I’m staying out of the ER!”

An 85-Year-Old Regains Her Love of Life

For Rose*, a resident of New York City’s Chinatown district, living alone at age 85 and coping with failing eyesight and worsening renal disease was hard enough. But when her neighbor/caregiver started a full-time job and was no longer available to help, Rose went into a tailspin. In the weeks that followed, she became increasingly agitated and less able to find any joy in life. Like many elderly people in New York City’s Chinese American community, Rose was reluctant to discuss her emotional distress. Her MLTC plan’s care coordinator Ana, was aware of this however and discussed the importance of getting evaluated for depression with Rose, who agreed to scheduling a series of home visits from one of the plan’s licensed social workers.

“The social worker helped me make my world more safe and enjoyable,” says Rose. “She cleared the clutter from my apartment so I wouldn’t trip and fall, got me a talking clock, and showed me how to borrow talking books from the library. She also encouraged my grand-nephew and his family to visit more often. I never miss my doctors’ appointments now, and my kidney problems have stabilized, and my depression symptoms are much improved.”

A Stroke Patient Recovers His Mobility and Learns to “Face the Day”

The connection between stroke survivor Eric* and his MLTC plan runs deep. “It’s a relationship I depend on,” he says. “My MLTC care coordinator, Elaine, reaches out to me by phone almost daily. I know she is monitoring not just my physical progress with stroke recovery, but also my emotional stability.”

As a gay man, Eric also appreciates the fact that his MLTC plan’s staff has been given SAGE (Services & Advocacy for GLBT Elders) training, which helps them interact with and relate to LGBTQ individuals with more sensitivity and understanding. “It makes me feel better to know they care,” says Eric. “The stroke took part of me. Then, when my partner Ted died, I thought the rest of me was gone. But Elaine understood what I was going through. By setting goals that encourage me to stick to my rehab routine, connecting me with an LGBTQ bereavement group, and checking in with me constantly, she’s helped me learn to face the day.”

Health Autonomy is a critical component for today’s aging Americans. When people are supported and encouraged to participate in their own care, they are able to safely maintain independence and connection within the communities that help sustain them. The vignettes shared above are living proof that health autonomy is possible — and effective — when those we care for receive the right kind of support at the right time and are active participants in their health for as long as possible.

* The individual’s name has been changed for privacy.