Senior Life Solutions Hosts Open House at Lincoln Memorial Hospital

 

[January 14, 2024] 

Senior Life Solutions at Lincoln Memorial Hospital (LMH) hosted an open house on January 12 to welcome visitors to their offices and provide information about services. Senior Life Solutions (SLS) is a therapeutic treatment program on site at LMH for those age 55 and over who are on Medicare, which covers the cost of SLS services. It is a program serving anyone who fits this demographic who is experiencing anxiety, depressed mood, grief, loss, or is dealing with life transitions. No referral is necessary, and services are confidential. Typically new clients are able to start the program within days of assessment.

Therapist Katelyn Hill, LCSW, explained that clients come two to three times a day from one to four days a week. They meet with her for counseling, receive a free lunch, and meet with the SLS nurse, Sarah Tierney, RN. Tierney assesses vitals, helps with medications, communicates with primary care providers, and generally helps with physical health. “Every day there is a nursing education component like nutrition, exercise, or infection control,” Tierney added. An initial meeting with a psychiatrist is also required and followed up with virtual monthly meetings. Gracie Becker, SLS Administrative Support, said that SLS typically serves 7 to 8 clients at a time, although they have served up to 10. The length of the program is dependent on the individual with participation anywhere from two months to two years. She explained that some clients experience improvements and move on from the program, but then “life happens” and they return to SLS for additional support.

The current location on the ground floor of LMH was renovated specifically for use by SLS. Originally, the office suite was used for billing and accounts with a window for hospital patients to pay bills in person. The renovated space has a welcome desk, offices for Hill, Tierney and Medical Director Dr. Black, a kitchenette, a restroom, and a spacious conference room. Many visitors to Friday’s open house were LMH colleagues who had not had an opportunity to tour the SLS space before. According to Hill, because SLS is technically classified as a psychiatric unit it must maintain a “closed door” on a daily basis, therefore many LMH employees had not had access to the space prior to the open house.

SLS will celebrate its fifth anniversary in February and hopes to host an anniversary event. For more information about SLS or to make an appointment for an assessment, please call Gracie Becker at Senior Life Solutions at [phone].

[Stephanie Hall]