TriHealth Senior Link

Sydni Coleman, Summer 2014

This summer I was an intern at TriHealth SeniorLink. This facility, located in Norwood, provides care for approximately 400 individuals from Clermont, Warren, Hamilton, and Butler counties. It is a PACE program which stands for “Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly.” To be eligible for a PACE program, one must be 55 years or older, Medicare eligible, Medicaid eligible, and nursing home eligible but want to live in the community. Participants have access to transportation, physical therapy, occupational therapy, social workers, a pharmacy, at-home nurses, primary care physicians, and specialists including podiatrists, dentists, and optometrists. Most of my time was spent working in the clinic. I located participants for their appointments, took weights and vitals, and helped the nurses. Other tasks included stocking supplies, preparing exam rooms for the next day, and filling oxygen tanks.

Unfortunately, the week before I arrived, SeniorLink found out that it would be closing on August 31, 2014. This news left the staff and participants anxious and unsure of the future. For my project, I created a pamphlet that describes the stages of change depicted in William Bridges’ Transition Model. The three stages of this model include Ending, Losing and Letting Go, The Neutral Zone, and The New Beginning. Each stage is characterized by specific emotions. The first stage is marked by feelings of fear and anger, the second by confusion and impatience, and the third by acceptance. In addition to describing the emotional aspects of change, the pamphlet encourages the participants to talk to people they trust during this transition period. The closing of SeniorLink made for an emotional summer. However, the internship was a great experience. I was able to enhance my clinical and personal skills while learning about aspects of medicine that pertain to the elderly and underserved populations.