For Sarah L. Szanton, PhD, CRNP, it was just another day helping elders stay safe within their homes. For seniors, it was another steady step away from a nursing home when all they want is to maintain their independence. For the Associated Press (AP), it was an opportunity to tell a great story about difference-makers in the Baltimore community. And for future JHUSON students, it was a chance to see what Hopkins Nursing looks like in action. Now, how many wins is that?
Szanton, associate professor in the JHUSON Center for Innovative Care in Aging, makes visits to seniors’ homes through CAPABLE (Community Aging in Place, Advancing Better Living for Elders), bringing nurses, occupational therapists and, as a key component, handymen. The first step is finding out what clients need. The next is making the fixes that can forestall nursing home admissions for elders who aren’t otherwise in need of full-time care. “Very small changes can make a big difference,” Szanton, who leads the project, told the Associated Press. “We’re not saying, ‘What’s your blood pressure?’ We’re focusing on function: What do they want to do?”
At press time, Szanton’s AP story had been carried by media outlets from coast to coast including NPR, the Washington Post, Fox News, and the Tribune in San Luis Obispo, CA.
Follow Hopkins Nurses in the news at nursing.jhu.edu/news.
