Project: The Black Bag Project
Organization: Lancaster County Medical Center
Lincoln, NE
Story submitted by Mary Jo Gillespie, Assistant Executive Director of Lancaster Country Medical Society in Lincoln, NE.

There's No Place Like Home

Mrs G. is 80. Widowed for 15 years, she lives alone, values independence over anything else and wants to live out her remaining years at home with her beloved cat. She finds herself increasingly homebound due to her many chronic illnesses including congestive heart failure, diabetes, arthritis and memory loss.

Over the past few months, Mrs. G. has not been feeling well. She finds herself increasingly homebound because of depression, arthritic pain and generalized weakness. She has made a few doctor appointments but due to her multiple medical problems she finds it too difficult to keep her appointments. Her medication management is poor. She lacks financial resources for her many medications and is not connected to local supportive services. Maybe she will feel better next week and can get out to see the doctor then. She is concerned that if her doctor sees her feeling so poorly he may think she cannot take care of herself at home. She might have to move …and what would happen to her cat?

Because she did not show up for a number of doctor appointments, her doctor referred her to the Black Bag Project, a physician house call program for the chronically ill elderly. This chronic care team provides home-based care and supportive services to older patients who are unable to travel to their physician office.

The medical management provided in her home by a physician, nurse practitioner and a geriatric case manager had a significant impact on Mrs. G.’s quality of life. Her health improved, her medication was adjusted to decrease her pain, and she was able to maintain her independence. Mrs. G. qualified and was connected to a number of community support services that she was unaware of. She was approved for a Medicaid waiver, and is now receiving housekeeping assistance, Meals on Wheels and pharmacy deliveries.

The Black Bag Project has allowed this 80 year old woman to remain at home with supportive services, avoiding assisted living or nursing home expenses. Her primary care physician feels the in-home services provided by the Black Bag Project medical team will assist in monitoring her medical status at home to avoid medical complications that could be life threatening or, at the very least result in unnecessary hospitalizations. Mrs. G. is very thankful for the Black Bag Project –without it she is sure she would be in a nursing home.

The Black Bag Project; because there is no place like home.

The Black Bag project is funded by the Community Health Endowment of Lincoln and The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. It is a collaborative effort of the Lancaster County Medical Society, Aging Services LIFE Office, and the People’s Health Center.

Graduates 2004 | Project's Graduate Report | Project's Information Page