Pathfinder is a collaborative HSE initiative between St Luke’s General Hospital Carlow/Kilkenny and the National Ambulance Service. The Pathfinder team recently celebrated one year of providing care in people’s homes across the region.
Sinéad Prendergast, Senior Occupational Therapist with the Pathfinder Service shared the following “We’re delighted to mark this significant milestone and to be part of such a progressive service that supports older people to receive quality assessment and intervention in the comfort of their own home”.
Pathfinder is a home-based service for people aged 65 and over who phone 112/999 with non-life threatening complaints. The aim of the Pathfinder team is to provide assessment and intervention within people’s home, rather than transferring them to a hospital Emergency Department (ED), where safe and appropriate to do so.
Over the last 12 months Pathfinder have seen over 270 people in their own homes, supporting approximately 55% of those to remain at home and following up a further 30% of those who were discharged from ED following acute investigations, such as x-rays. This allows people to recover in their own beds and avoid unnecessary trips to hospital. This is also a huge saving on the hospital and resources across Carlow and Kilkenny.
The person is assessed by an Advanced Paramedic and an Occupational Therapist/Physiotherapist within their own home. Where appropriate, Pathfinder supports the older person to safely remain at home. The team also provide a follow-up service which offers immediate home-based rehabilitation, adaptive equipment and case management where this might be of benefit to the person. The Pathfinder team have developed working relationships with many local GPs, community healthcare workers and voluntary agencies and can link people with relevant services that may be suitable for them.
Pathfinder has successfully supported many older people across counties Carlow and Kilkenny to remain at home over the past year, avoiding unnecessary admissions to the ED. They have provided follow-up Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy services to the majority of those who remained at home. Where individuals were advised to attend the Emergency Department for necessary investigations, the Pathfinder team have frequently provided follow-up intervention after the person has returned home from the ED.
Feedback from those who have used the service has been overwhelmingly positive, with many people and their families expressing appreciation for the timely level of care they received within the familiarity and comforts of their own home.
One patient provided the following feedback regarding their experience with Pathfinder, “Brilliant service! I am 95% back to myself. Made a great recovery and it’s all down to you. Looked after till the last, no complaints”.
Pathfinder has also received encouraging responses and engagement from many local GPs, community healthcare workers and voluntary agencies. One such GP is Dr. Chambers of Ayrfield Medical Practice. According to Dr Chambers, “Pathfinder allows us find a path for patients in the community and avoid hospital admission. It’s a great service – comprehensive assessments and great plans of action all in the community supported by OT and Physio. We work with them as a team with the ultimate goal of keeping patients out of hospital and the follow up of patients is top class. This has led to reduced admissions and home-based quality care for our over 65s in the community. Ayrfield looks forward to working with Pathfinder into the future “.
The Pathfinder team would like to thank those who have engaged with the service and assisted us in becoming operational and having a successful first year. We are looking forward to continuing to serve the older people of Carlow and Kilkenny and further developing our service in times to come.
