Let's Talk Concierge Nursing at Home!
Transcript:
Welcome to the very first episode of the Senior Home Companions podcast. Today, we have special guest Anna Luna from our new concierge nursing service. So, Anna, can you tell us a little bit about who you are and share your journey in nursing and what led you to partner with Senior Home Companions?
Absolutely! Hi everyone, thank you so much for allowing me to speak on behalf of Luna Care, which is the nursing concierge service that Senior Home Companions and I are partnering with together. I got into nursing through trial and error. Essentially, I was in college for a little bit too long before it really dawned on me, while I was working in a home health agency, that I loved taking care of people. I loved being there for them and giving them the autonomy they deserve and a quality of life that they can be proud of.
That led me to nursing; I went to Indiana University for my degree. In the meantime, I was also in the military, balancing both being in the Army National Guard for eight years and going to nursing school. That ultimately led to me developing a love for science and medicine and understanding the brain, which coincided with my ER experience during nursing school.
My first job was in the emergency room here in Indianapolis at Community North. That was such an awesome experience; I was there during COVID, and that was when I really found my love for the elderly community and their families. Dementia, as a result, is something I became passionate about as well. I just had a big soft heart, and that's really what got me into doing my own services.
I was able to help some family friends of mine; one of my family friend's husbands has dementia, and he was one of my very first clients. He and I would go out into the community to the park, the library, or out to eat. I would take him to the barber. We would just do things in the community to get him more involved, and the family really appreciated my presence simply because I knew how to communicate well with him.
I knew any medical emergency that could happen; I would be able to take care of because of my ER experience. Being out in the community ultimately led to meeting more people and building up my client base.
Everything has just been word of mouth, which has been really great. Word of mouth is how Senior Home Companions found me. I was taking one of my clients to his barber; it's a Thursday ritual every Thursday we go to get a razor shave, and right after we go to Cold Stone or Handles for ice cream. The only thing he remembers is that we get ice cream every time, and he asks for it every time. It's been a fun ritual!
That was how I met someone who worked at Senior Home Companions. We started talking, and they said they really liked the service that I provide and wanted to offer that to their clients as well.
What an awesome background story! It's so crazy that you went from being in the military, going through school, working in the ER, to now being a concierge nurse in home care. We're so glad that our staff member found you! We're super excited to offer this extra layer of support to our clients. I want to lead into our next question: what kind of unique skills and experiences do you bring to the home care setting? You have such an amazing background; what does that look like in home care?
I think one of the biggest things that stands out for me in giving care to individuals is my ER background—the ability to know when it's an emergency and what questions to ask to get answers that maybe family members don't know how to ask. A lot of what I do for Senior Home Companions involves taking clients to doctor's appointments or being present during phone calls with them while asking important questions about their medical history.
Knowing my clients' backgrounds allows me to ask questions that families might not have thought of—concerns regarding medication interactions or side effects—and ensuring everything is communicated effectively with their healthcare providers. This approach seems to flow better because I'm familiar with their medical history and can advocate for them effectively. The military taught me a lot about communication as well, ensuring someone stays autonomous.
Another skill I bring is giving clients their autonomy back while treating them with respect as independent adults rather than children. This approach builds trust and honesty between myself and my clients.
Coming from the ER and nursing in general, I know those environments differ quite a bit. Can you tell us what it's like working in those settings?
In the ER, people come when they're in distress; when you go into someone's home, they are much more at ease. It's a totally different environment with different stress levels. Meeting someone at their home allows me to understand who they are better—what they like or what could potentially trigger them.
I appreciate meeting someone in their home because it fosters more interpersonal communication compared to the ER where relationships are harder to build due to time constraints. Knowing them at home allows me to bring context if they were ever faced with an emergency.
Can you walk us through a typical day in your life as an independent nurse in the home care setting? What does your morning look like until you end work for the day?
My day currently can vary quite a bit since I go to many doctor's appointments. For example, on a Monday morning, I might have a client whom I help get up and ready for the day. I'll wake him up, assist with his morning hygiene routine, make breakfast, give him his medications, and take care of home chores—much like our caregivers currently do.
After that, I'll transition by picking up another client or going somewhere else for another appointment. Before each doctor's appointment, I've already talked with family members about questions they want answered during the visit while reviewing medication lists for updates. After each appointment, depending on results or whatever is going on, I'll report back to families about plans moving forward or updates on their loved ones' conditions.
Throughout my day, I'll often visit multiple clients—sometimes spending time at memory care facilities where individuals enjoy seeing me—and keep families informed about any concerns I've noticed during visits.
It sounds like each day varies quite a bit! It keeps you on your toes!
Definitely! The ER is always something different too; let me tell you home care is something different as well! Something happens every day!
Now that you're coming alongside Senior Home Companions, what services are you offering our clients?
Luna Care is run purely by nurses; we don't have LPNs or expanded levels of care like CNAs—just RNs. For that reason, I've partnered with Senior Home Companions to create an RN-based level of care.
Your doctor's office may send a wound care nurse for check-ups on wounds; however, my services include helping clients get ready for appointments or being there on behalf of family members who can't attend.
Other services I'm providing include medication management—setting up medications on a monthly schedule—and taking vital signs while discussing any changes with staff members involved in their care. I also make appointments for doctor's visits ensuring I'm available during those times while providing education for families about their loved ones' conditions or any other necessary information related to their health care needs.
I have other tiers that allow for a little bit more in-depth care, such as medical record keeping all in one place or education for families and staff about different scenarios or disease processes. It's the next level of care that includes medication management because currently Senior Home Companions can't do the medication setup.
I know a lot of families are really busy and just need to be a daughter, son, or grandchild. They need somebody to step up and be their person's caregiver. That's what I want to do for these families: give their family job back to them and let me be the caregiver and watch over their person. They'll know they have a nurse liaison in their pocket that they can consult with.
I know that service is going to be so needed with our non-medical Home Care clients, and that's just such a great layer to add to our services. We're so excited that we get to offer those now.