Community Resources: Diabetes Patients, Research Paper Example

Abstract

This paper discusses the various community resources that are available for the diabetic patients in St. Petersburg, Florida. The community resources that are discussed in this paper are the Right at Home: In Home Care & Assistance, Community Health Centers of Pinellas, Inc. and St. Petersburg Free Clinic

Introduction

It is imperative to note that people, regardless of their age, require a caring community. This is due to the fact that diabetes needs a stable management program and strategies to help mitigate its effects or to slow down the progression of the disease in certain cases. Management of the disease is the most crucial part that the patients have to live with and the most challenging aspect that care providers have to face as well. Therefore, there is a need to connect the patients with the proper resources and community that can help and support them with the modification of lifestyles and the effective ways to manage the disease without compromising the quality of life. In St. Petersburg, Florida, there are various community resources that every diabetic person can take advantage and get help from. However, this paper only focuses on the three community resources namely: Right at Home: In Home Care & Assistance, Community Health Centers of Pinellas, Inc. and St. Petersburg Free Clinic.

Right at Home: In Home Care & Assistance

Right at Home: In Home Care & Assistance is company that provides home care services to any individuals who are in need of health care support. They are accredited and a member of the State and National Chapters of the Home Care Association of America. Their services are not limited to taking care of elderly but as well as to people who have been affected by diabetes. Although the company is geared towards providing home care services, they offer services for diabetes management. This means that they help in the management of the disease. Their program for the disease management includes but is not limited to the following:

• Education- The health care workers are trained to provide education to the diabetic patients regarding the effects of diabetes to the body. They provide education on how daily activities can affect the levels of the glucose in the blood and how the patients can take advantage of these activities to maintain a good blood glucose level.
• Meal and Food Planning. This is one of the most important aspects of the disease management. There are meal restrictions and special diet that must be followed all the time.
• Likewise, meal preparation will also be provided to the diabetic patients as well as grocery shopping.

The advantage of affording the services of the company is that the patients will no longer have to travel as the care services are provided in home. No transportation is needed. In addition, the patients will no longer have to prepare for their own meal that oftentimes leads to breaking the special diet. However, this service is not free. The patients will be billed on an hourly rate that is discussed during a free in-home consultation. This is because the company provides a custom care plan to the patients and every custom care plan is different and thus, cost cannot be estimated unless a consultation has been made. The exact cost of the services will be determined based on the number of hours needed per week, the level of the care required and the area where the service is required. The people needing help and their advocates or guardian will just have to call the office and set up a free consultation to discuss how they can work together. In-home care services that are being provided by the company allow every individual to manage their disease without having to stay in a hospital or in a care facility. It gives the patients the sense of self-autonomy and the joy of still living in their homes without worrying about their special diets. In creating a care plan, the patients and their families must be informed of the services that are available in the community. Some people in the community do not know that these types of services are available. Education is important in making sure proper health care is provided.

Community Health Centers of Pinellas, Inc.

The Community Health Centers of Pinellas, Inc. (CHCP) is not for profit health care organization that is patient-centered. The commitment of the organization is to provide quality health care to individuals who would otherwise not have access to medical care on their own. The services they are providing to their patients from are specialized in the areas of pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, family medicine and dental care. The main goal of the organization is to provide affordable health care to the community. It is a known fact that health care is costly and because of its high cost, people do not acquire medical care even if they need it. The organization offers discounts based on the income of the patient or the household, whichever is applicable. In order to acquire their health services, one has to fill out the new patient appointment form found on their website: https://www.chcpinellas.org/new%20patients.htm. The organization requires a valid identification card, address, insurance cards (if applicable), and a proof of income. This is to ensure that the applicable discount rates are applied properly based on the size of the family and the household income. The only disadvantage of acquiring the services from this organization is the long procedure to get an appointment due to the number of requirements needed. However, it is important to note that the organization covers all the areas of health care that the community will need.

The organization has diabetic group classes that aim to educate every individual especially the patients on how to properly manage diabetes that is offered for free. Patient education is one of their important agenda. In addition, the organization has partner services that can link and point the patients to the right resources in the community.  Referring people to this organization will increase health care awareness especially to individuals who have cannot afford the high cost of medical bill but will not qualify for free ones.

St. Petersburg Free Clinic

St. Petersburg Free Clinic, as the name implies, offers free basic health care and wellness services to the community. They operate with the help of donation and volunteer workers such as physicians, nurses and other health care workers. They have full-time staffs that are comprised of a nurse practitioner, diabetic heath educators and a nurse coordinator. Patients who are in need of prescription are supported through the Prescription Drug Assistance program that gives out free medications. Aside from the basic health care and wellness, the clinic is focused on combating the diabetes epidemic in the community. In order to mitigate the problems on diabetes, the clinic has created the Diabetic Education Program that gives free patient education to the patients. In addition, the clinic also gives out free medical supplies and medications to patients who could not afford the treatment. The support and the provision that the clinic has generously given to the community has helped improve the quality of living among the diabetic community and has helped the families on how to properly take care of their loved ones fighting diabetes. This community resource provides a lot of benefits and help to the community. The fact that it offers all the services for free is a huge advantage to the patients who desperately need the help but cannot afford the cost. The only disadvantage is the fact that it only offers basic health care and wellness. Therefore, people who have advanced health care problems will not be able to afford the services. However, the clinic is a good start to get proper diagnosis. The service is also limited to adults that are 18-64 years old, low income individuals and to adults that do not have any form of medical insurance. To afford the service, one has to call or email the office.

Just like the other aforementioned community resources, a referral to these services must be conducted so that patients and family can be informed to the resources and help that are available in the community.

References

Community Health Center of Pinellas, Inc. (n.d.). Retrieved December 3, 2015, from https://www.chcpinellas.org/index.htm

St. Petersburg Free Clinc. (n.d.). Retrieved December 3, 2015, from http://stpetersburgfreeclinic.org/

St. Petersburg’s trusted quality in-home senior care provider. (n.d.). Retrieved December 3, 2015, from http://www.rightathome.net/st-petersburg/