Announcing Symphony WholeLife Wellness
Joan Harris, LSW, MBA, CMC
Hello Friends,
In June, I wrote to you about my journey with elder care colleagues to Japan staying in Ogimi Village in Okinawa, Japan, one of the 5 Blue Zones in the world with elders who are being studied not just for longevity but for living healthy joyful lives. Learning directly from them what makes their life meaningful and fulfilling and experiencing their joyfulness brought about a transformation of Symphony Care Management. As Aging Life Care Managers, we focus on the client’s goals, safety, and function. We lend our expertise to assist our clients and their families to reach those goals which vary dramatically throughout different stages of aging. Although this continues to be our role, the heart of our practice and all that we do brings us back to the question, “How can we improve the quality of our client’s lives as well as their caregivers?” Supporting our client to redefine their purpose, create a renewed sense of community, participate in meaningful engagement, and find true peace and comfort is our mission. Equally as important is for our practice to address in a significant life changing way our family caregiver’s need to regain and maintain their wellness. November is National Family Caregiver’s Month. I can’t imagine a better or more opportune moment to announce the development and launch of Symphony WholeLife Wellness.
What does this mean? WholeLife Wellness means simply that we support the whole person. This includes physical and cognitive health, emotional wellbeing, spiritual and personal purpose as well as environmental comfort and what brings our clients peace. When we start our work with an older adult, we do an in depth “Life Narrative.” We want to know who our clients are and what makes their lives meaningful. What was their line of work, hobbies, passions? Who are the people in their lives that matter most and how often do they participate in activities they love that make them feel like themselves?
We have brought onto our team Kristine Callahan, CPC, CDP, an exceptionally experienced elder care professional who is a certified professional coach, certified dementia practitioner, end of life specialist, and Reiki Master Teacher to facilitate the Symphony WholeLife assessments and development of an individualized plan. This plan will support our clients reaching their defined goals to improve their quality of life. We know that caregiving can be isolating, and exhausting physically and emotionally. It is well studied and documented that family caregivers can be at extreme risk of physical and psychological illnesses because they can no longer practice self-care. We are excited to offer this Symphony WholeLife Wellness to our client’s family caregivers as well.
Our WholeLife Wellness program will integrate with our Aging GPS program, high level Care Management Services and Dementia Specialty. Personalized visits will offer: energy healing, aroma therapy with essential oils, referrals to gentle movement, expressive art therapy, spiritual care, family coaching and respite planning for caregiver wellness, thoughtful planning around nutrition, quality sleep and a daily rhythm that support our client’s wellness as just some examples. Kristine Callahan will provide full-service Care Management as well as Symphony WholeLife Wellness in the Greater Boston area as well as Cape Cod.
