HJNO Mar/Apr 2019

Healthcare Journal of NEW ORLEANS I  MAR / APR 2019 63 For weekly eNews updates and to read the journal online, visit HealthcareJournalNO.com environmental factors. “Routine is critically important for patients suf- fering with dementia and other neurological dis- eases. Even something as seemingly simple as leaving the facility to go to a doctor’s appointment can result in unnecessary confusion and stress for a patient,” said Robert John Sawyer, PhD, co- director, Cognitive Disorders and Brain Health Program, Department of Neurology and Neuro- sciences at Ochsner Health System. “By leverag- ing telehealth, this partnership enables Ochsner to bring high-quality neurological care to these residents in a familiar setting.” Sawyer added, “Integrating interactive technol- ogy into the unit at Lambeth House is believed to be beneficial both to residents and the care team. Residents use the iPads to play music and com- municate with their loved ones face to face, which has anecdotally had a positive impact on anxiety and mood. For the care team, the data collected from the Fitbit provides valuable insights on sleep and movement patterns, which can inform adjust- ments to individual care plans.” “Lambeth House is, and has always been, pro- gressive and forward-thinking in its approach to providing services that support older adults,” said Jeré Hales, chief operating officer, Lambeth House. “Through our partnership with Ochsner, we hope to leverage technology to further ele- vate our high-quality care. We believe that this program has the potential to drastically improve the care and lives of seniors at Lambeth House, regionally and beyond.” Funding for the Innovative Care in Alzheimer’s Research program is made possible through the Lambeth House Foundation.   The Department of Neurology at Ochsner various types and stages of dementia. The World Health Organization estimates 50 mil- lion people worldwide have dementia—a general term that refers to the severe decline of mental function. Alzheimer’s is the most common form of the condition, with a new diagnosis every 67 seconds in the United States. Dementia follows three stages of progression, with increasingly seri- ous symptoms: • Mild Dementia—difficulty remembering words and names; learning and remembering new information; planning and managing compli- cated activities, such as driving; experiencing sadness, anxiety, or disinterest in once enjoy- able activities. • Moderate Dementia—poor judgment, problems with personal hygiene, inappropriate language, and wandering. • Severe Dementia—extensive memory loss, lim- ited or no mobility, difficulty swallowing, bowel and bladder control issues, and difficulty recog- nizing family members and caregivers. As part of the program, each patient is outfit- ted with an iPad along with a Fitbit to monitor sleep and movement. Once a month, Mercer’s Way residents will participate in a 30- to 60-min- ute telehealth visit with an Ochsner neuropsy- chologists—a type of psychologist that special- izes in understanding the relationship between the physical brain and behavior. These visits will be conducted virtually through an iPad, where a specialist is able to consult patients in the same way as an in-person appointment through Och- sner’s technology. The monthly visits will be in addition to their current care plan with Lambeth House and will assess various aspects of a patient’s wellness plan, including cognitive, behavioral, and of the bond issue for the taxpayers of Wards 6, 7, 8, and 9 in St. Tammany Parish. This new rate will allow the interest savings to be passed to the tax- payers in the form of a faster payoff of the bonds. SMH Chief Financial Officer Sandy Badinger issued requests for proposal, seeking the lowest possible interest rate to provide the most finan- cial benefit to the hospital and the taxpayers who fund these bonds, from three banks known to do this type of refunding. Capital One Bank provided the lowest interest rate at 3.05 percent. “We are very pleased to be able to make this announcement today,” said Ferrari. “The taxpay- ers in our community who own Slidell Memorial Hospital expect and deserve sound fiscal manage- ment. This announcement is our way of continuing to keep the promises we have made to our com- munity over the years.” General obligation bonds are limited to funding capital projects only; the funds may not be used for any operations of the facility. Slidell Memorial Hospital will not receive any money from this bond refunding. All savings from the refinancing accrue to the property taxpayers of the district. Ochsner Health System, Lambeth House Launch Pilot Program for Memory Care Ochsner Health System and Lambeth House teamed to launch the Innovative Care in Alzheimer’s Research program—an intervention study of dementia management with interactive technology. This partnership between a contin- uous care retirement community and regional healthcare leader is the first of its kind in Louisi- ana to infuse interactive technology into its care plan for residents. Over the course of a 12-month pilot pro- gram, Ochsner and Lambeth House will investi- gate the effectiveness of a customized treatment plan delivered through a pilot program utilizing remote technology, or telehealth. The study out- come variables include mortality rate, neuropsy- chiatric and behavioral symptoms, quality of life, activity engagement, staff and family caregiving burden, clinical health status, and healthcare uti- lization. Lambeth House staff will undergo specific training to facilitate the program, which focuses on the 16 residents in Mercer’s Way—the memory care unit at Lambeth House where residents have Jeré Hales Robert John Sawyer, PhD