For lifelong Napa residents George and Jill Oram, the ins and outs of healthcare are something they’ve learned to navigate pretty well.
George suffered a massive stroke in 1999. But with treatment and rehab, he was up and walking again. A year ago, he tripped on a culvert, and again, “they fixed me up,” George says. But injuries from a second fall left him unable to walk without assistance.
Jill, who runs her own consulting business, was now his sole caregiver. So when she learned about Collabria Care Pallative Services from a friend, she reached out to them. RN Case Manager Jamie McNamara, who had been George’s nurse after his stroke, contacted her and when she heard about his condition, offered to stop by. Afterwards, she arranged with George’s physician for George to receive palliative care services.
“Providing healthcare at home can be overwhelming,” Jill admits, “but the palliative care team streamlined and improved the whole process. It has been a godsend. They arranged for in-home care so we didn’t spend most of our day going to and waiting for appointments, and an electric wheelchair so George can be mobile on his own. They’ve educated me on things such as wound care, and are there if I have any concerns. They communicate with his doctors on our behalf, and the response back is immediate.”
“Jamie also helped me put together an advance health care directive to spell out what types of care I want and don’t want in an emergency if I’m unable to tell them,” adds George.
“Without an advocate, you don’t know what resources you’re missing out on,” says Jill. “Collabria Care Palliative Services is worth its weight in gold.”
For more information about our Palliative Care Services visit https://collabriacare.org/palliative-services/.