Kootenai | Kootenai Health | Issue 4, 2018

KH . ORG 17 Don and Evelyn Jenkins at their home in Otis Orchards, Washington. By Andrea Nagel Managing a chronic health condition like high blood pressure or diabetes can be challenging for those who may not be familiar with navigating the complexities of these conditions—or the world of health care. Questions and logistics increase with each new condition, medication or therapy added to the mix. Patients dealing with multiple chronic conditions can find the help they need with the guidance of a care manager with Kootenai Care Network. “Managing multiple health conditions can be extremely overwhelming if you don’t have a background in health care,” said Lynne Kinson, care manager. “My role is to help these patients by coordinating their care, making sure they’re visiting necessary specialists, and providing them with valuable information to help them navigate the system and make important health care decisions.” Creatingagameplan Don Jenkins and his wife, Evelyn, struggled for years to gain control of his heart disease and diabetes. About a year ago, Don switched primary care providers and began seeing Sean Linford, M.D., at Kootenai Clinic Family Medicine in Hayden. Together, Dr. Linford, Don and Evelyn came up with a plan to better manage Don’s chronic conditions. “Dr. Linford suggested I work with Don and Evelyn to implement Don’s new care plan,” Lynne said. “He needed to start a new insulin that was much more expensive than his previous prescription. I first contacted the insulin company and then another medication assistance program to reduce the cost of the insulin and make it affordable for Don. The next steps involved incremental lifestyle changes with nutrition and exercise education and goals.” Care coordinationwas theanswer Prior to working with Lynne and Dr. Linford, Don described himself as feeling lethargic, unwell and depressed. Once his blood sugar levels were in better control, Don felt like he could take an active role in changing his habits to positively affect his overall well-being. “Once I began my new insulin and my blood sugar was under control, I started walking at the mall and around my neighborhood. I lost weight and felt like I could enjoy life again,” Don said. “I took up hobbies like building and flying drones, and now I can run errands with Evelyn again. Lynne has been a wonderful friend and mentor through this process. She always takes time to help us and answer questions.” Enjoying lifeagain While this progress is exciting for Don, Evelyn is also pleased with his newfound energy and outlook. For the past 10 years, Evelyn has watched Don’s health slowly decline and often has had to serve as a caregiver and manager of their home. “We’ve been married for over 30 years, and during the last 10 years, Don has had a pretty poor quality of life,” Evelyn said. “Without Lynne and Dr. Linford, we wouldn’t have changed what we were doing, and Don would not be getting better. You can feel very alone in circumstances like these, but Lynne has been so sweet. She’s helped us with everything from diet plans to financial resources and everything in between.” As Don continues to improve, lose weight and feel more confident venturing out, the Jenkinses hope to get out and explore the Inland Northwest; getting back to their roots in fishing, hunting and enjoying the back country on all-terrain vehicles. Kootenai Care Network’s Care Management Plan