Our Registered Nurse Advocates and Client Care Specialists are the foundation of our life care management teams. Our clients benefit from a holistic interdisciplinary team of professionals whose knowledge and expertise cover all of the areas necessary to help individuals safely maintain their independence and high quality of life.
Agent Work
If you have been appointed as Power of Attorney or Guardian of a loved one or for a client and are overwhelmed by the responsibility you now bear, or lack the clinical expertise required, you can turn to IKOR for help. As your agent, you remain in control while we handle any administrative tasks or provide the clinical expertise to and help you make the best decisions for your loved one or clients.
Aging in Place
IKOR offers numerous services to help individuals remain independent and safe while aging in the comfort of their homes. From home safety assessments to coordinating home repairs and modifications to vetting and supervising in-home care service providers, IKOR is the partner you need to help age in place safely.
Assisting Executors with Estate Administration
Serving as the estate executor/administrator for a friend or family member is an enormous undertaking and requires considerable time, knowledge, and running around. When a non-attorney first agrees to serve as a loved one’s executor, we find that most don’t fully comprehend the work involved and can quickly become daunted by the responsibility they now face. IKOR can share the work by contacting utility companies to terminate services, delivering or retrieving documents from the County/City Clerk’s office, inventorying and securing estate assets, arranging and overseeing realtors and appraisers, drafting communications to heirs, and a host of other non-legal tasks.
Attending Doctor Appointments
Our Registered Nurse Advocates are available to attend appointments with primary care physicians and other medical professionals. Our clients can benefit by having an experienced registered nurse at their side during a doctor’s appointment to help them ask questions, understand treatment options, make sense of the doctor’s instructions, and even answer pertinent questions the doctor may have regarding their medical history or medications.
Following the doctor’s visit, your Registered Nurse Advocate can help arrange follow-up visits, coordinate referrals to specialists, and answer any questions one has following their appointment.
Benefits Review
Surveys routinely find that consumers don’t understand their insurance benefits and are likely leaving money on the table or paying for medical services their insurance should cover. IKOR’s Client Care Specialists are skilled at reviewing insurance policy coverage and explanation of benefits to ensure a beneficiary is receiving the benefits they are due.
Our Client Care Specialists also understand government benefits. They can help guide you through the application process and the appeals process or recommend expert assistance should you have a complex case.
Care Coordination
We improve the lines of communication between primary care physicians, specialists, in-home care providers, and others who are responsible for our client’s health. By ensuring our client’s care team is on the same page, we can improve the efficiency of the delivery of their care and minimize duplicative tests, screenings, or procedures.
Our Registered Nurse Advocates can follow up on lab results, coordinate follow-up appointments or referrals to specialists, and ensure other care providers are aware of any changes in medications or treatment plans.
Comprehensive Care Plan Assessments
IKOR is a trusted partner and service provider to both individuals and families as well as the many medical, financial and legal professionals who serve them. To support the needs for whatever the requirement, as an independent third-party professional, IKOR provides comprehensive care plan assessments and reports which incorporate a detailed review of our client’s medical, environmental, financial, and psychosocial aspects of their care and wellbeing. These assessments look at the specific life goals and objectives of the individual, provide a detailed review of any presenting medical conditions, their ADLs and IADLs, their medication regimen, supporting care providers, and any programs and services that may be available to them. IKOR provides recommendations within each category to promote independence, safety, health and to improve the quality of life for our clients and in a cost-effective manner.
Concierge Services
We know life is busy and that the day-to-day tasks that absorb our time can seem never-ending. Let IKOR take some of the burdens of life’s general demands off your shoulders. Whether it’s arranging a hair appointment, dropping documents off at your attorney’s or tax preparer’s office, or shopping for the perfect outfit for your granddaughter’s wedding, our concierge services combine reliability, personalization, and ease.
Coordinating Home Repairs & Modifications
Whether your home needs repairs, renovations, or modifications, IKOR knows who the best contractors are in the area and a fair price to pay for the work you need to complete.
In addition to helping you find and hire the right contractor, we’ll also provide on-site quality assurance so you can rest assured the work you need to be done is being completed in a timely manner. The workers are being held accountable for the quality of their work.
Coordinating In-Home Services
In-home care services are becoming increasingly common and play an important role in helping individuals remain safe and independent in the comfort of their homes.
IKOR coordinates across the spectrum of home care services and can help you find the best provider based on your situation. From non-medical in-home care to hospice care, you can trust us to find and manage the best provider in the area for your needs.
Once you have selected a provider, our Registered Nurse Advocate will perform announced and unannounced visits to ensure the highest quality care is being provided and care plans are being followed
Coordinating Living Arrangements
Aging in place is popular with many seniors, but not everyone wants to grow old in the family home. Some will prefer the lifestyle offered by a retirement community, while others want to downsize to a smaller home. Perhaps a loved one needs the help provided by an assisted living community. No matter what the needs are, IKOR can help identify living arrangements that fit the preferences and needs of the individual.
Crisis Intervention
When an individual experiences a sudden and unforeseen medical emergency, it can be difficult for family members or close friends to set aside their emotions and work with medical professionals to determine the best course of action.
As part of our patient advocacy, IKOR’s Registered Nurse Advocates are ready to step in during a medical crisis to ensure the patient’s treatment wishes are being honored. Additionally, they help family members understand the treatment options being proposed and the benefits and risks associated with each treatment option.
Document Organization & Review
When the unexpected strikes, being organized can make all the difference. From compiling and maintaining a record of all medications to collecting and organizing important medical and legal documents, IKOR can gather and manage your essential life documents.
At your request, we can also review your documents for missing information and update your documents to ensure information is accurate and your care preferences are known. We work with many professionals throughout the Greater New York metro area, and can refer you to a trusted partner should you need assistance with your legal or financial documents.
To learn more about essential life documents, please visit our resource page.
Durable Power of Attorney
IKOR is experienced serving as the agent for the durable power of attorney for healthcare, finances, or both. Whether you are aging alone and want peace of mind or you want to avoid family politics, our durable power of attorney service ensures you are protected should you become incapacitated and unable to make your wishes known.
Guardianship
IKOR is trusted by the courts to advocate and manage the medical affairs of the most vulnerable in society. Guardianship is an undesirable situation for any individual to find themselves in. However, IKOR and its staff are experts in the field, and are approved under Section 81 Part 36 of the New York State Unified Court System and have served as expert, care manager and service provider on matters under the jurisdictions
To learn how you can avoid court-ordered guardianship, please visit our Essential Life Documents resource page.
Home Safety Assessments
Falls, the majority of which occur within the home, are a leading cause of injury and hospitalizations for those 65 years of age and older. More than one in four older Americans fall each year, and falling once doubles your chances of falling again. In fact, every second of every day within the United States an older adult falls, making these falls the number one cause of injuries and deaths from injuries among older Americans according to the CDC.
Such injuries are largely preventable by identifying specific areas of risk, and ensuring a safe and secure environment within your home. Utilizing our proprietary Home Safety Assessment application, IKOR will conduct a comprehensive 101 point safety check in all areas of your home, and provide you detailed recommendations within each specific living area. IKOR has access to the best contractors and service providers to ensure whatever modifications may be required can be done properly and at a fair price to ensure your safety within your home.
Medical Bill Review
Because medical billing errors have become commonplace, experts recommend not paying a medical bill unless the information on the bill is understood. IKOR, its professionals and partners have the necessary expertise to understand your insurance company’s explanation of benefits or Medicare coverage, ensuring your bill is error-free and you are not being overcharged.
Should we find errors, we can work with the biller on your behalf to correct the mistake.
Medication Analysis
Adverse drug reactions are one of the leading reasons a senior will visit an emergency department. While many believe their doctor or pharmacist monitors their medications for potentially negative consequences, this isn’t always the case, especially if over-the-counter medications or supplements are part of the daily pill regimen.
IKOR can perform a medication analysis to identify which prescriptions, over-the-counter medications, and supplements may interact to create an adverse reaction or lead to undesirable feelings, such as fatigue, nausea, or dizziness. When many specialists are involved, it is not uncommon to find duplicate or offsetting medications being prescribed to the patient.
Our Registered Nurse Advocates will work with the prescribing physician to optimize the medications a client is taking. This reduces the likelihood of an adverse reaction and can help lower the overall costs of medications.
Patient Advocacy
Our team of life care managers includes highly experienced Registered Nurse Advocates. Our RN Advocates attend doctor appointments with clients, help our clients understand treatment options, coordinate care between primary care physicians and specialists, and ask questions to ensure our clients are getting the best care and treatment options available.
To learn more about how patient advocates can improve an individual’s healthcare quality, visit our patient advocate page in the resource center.
Personal Rights Protection
Seniors and individuals with disabilities often find themselves working harder to ensure their rights are not infringed upon. IKOR’s team of experienced life care managers can advocate for individuals’ rights and bring in other qualified professionals to protect a person’s rights as necessary.