What is an in-home assessment?
Our trained assessor Jessica Mills will make an appointment to visit your home. During her visit, she will get to know you better while learning more about your current diet and nutritional needs, home life, and social connections. Mills will also walk around your home with you to make sure you aren’t having any difficulties with activities of daily living. Mills will also discuss any assistance you currently receive or need while answering a series of specific questions that funders like the Upper Peninsula Commission for Area Progress (UPCAP) requires.
It’s important to note that seniors are not required to answer any question and everything we do is non-judgmental. We simply want to help people be safe and live in as healthy of an environment as possible. A senior and their family might not even realize a risk in their household, but our trained assessor will help identify potential issues and make needed connections to solve any issues.
When does an assessment take place?
Copper Shores Meals on Wheels will schedule an initial in-home assessment within 14 days of joining the program, and complete reassessments every six months.
Who completes the assessment?
Jessica Mills is the Copper Shores Meals on Wheels Program Assessor.
Initial referrals and inquiries for home delivered meal services are done over the phone with seniors, a family member or a caregiver. Mills then visits their home in an effort to get to know each person Meals on Wheels serves on an individual level, to understand what unique needs each person has and to complete required paperwork to fund the program.
All Meals on Wheels participants who receive meals delivered to their homes are required to complete assessments. Data gathered during the assessment is provided to Upper Peninsula Commission for Area Progress (UPCAP).
How does an assessment happen?
Jessica Mills will reach out to seniors via phone to schedule a time. For this to be as meaningful for everyone involved as possible, this should take place in the home of the senior. Scheduling is flexible. During the assessment, Mills will go through a series of questions outlined by Michigan Office of Services to the Aging.
Family members are welcome to join. That is especially recommended if the senior has dementia. Family members who can’t attend in person are welcome to join via phone or video call.
