Since aging is not a linear or uniform process, and there is no single affliction or issue that easily explains the life challenges faced by older individuals, communication between family members about long-term care needs can be intense and multi-faceted. The list of hot-button topics can seem overwhelming and time-consuming. And passing this information along to caregivers and facility providers adds further complexity.
Spherit is responding to this need with an integrative decision-support tool that introduces a person-centered, situation-specific snapshot of current needs. Described as a “Reflectment” system vs. a more traditional “Assessment” system, it presents interconnecting details of the whole to create significantly greater insight for more informed decision-making between aging individuals and their families. It includes a whole-view discussion map, comprised of many core issues faced by seniors who may need additional care, plus an overlay feature that gives voice to the senior by capturing their own perceptions of self and situation. This prompts real-time engagement, while minimizing the emotional impacts. In year one of the GEWP Collaborative, Spherit is creating two applications: The Care Journey Sphere and the Compassionate Care Sphere, both of which will be made available to coalition partners for use in interacting with seniors and their families as well as for caregiver training and education.