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The importance of taking control of chronic health conditions

Sharon Shane

“I can now tell when my blood sugar is getting low, because I start to get shaky. I can tell when it’s starting to get high because I get a different sort of headache. When I get a headache, I automatically check my blood sugar.” Sharon Shane, 81 years old from Maine.

Senscio's Ibis Health Program is helping thousands of members learn how to take control of their day-to-day health 

Last year, Sharon Shane finished three 5Ks, her fast-paced walking stride earning her second place in her age group. The 81-year-old retiree from Buxton, Maine, also climbed her first mountain, summiting the 1,213-foot peak of Sawyer Mountain in the highlands of western York County.  “My quads were quite strained, and I had a lot of trouble getting off the toilet for almost a month,” Shane laughs. But she did it — her first mountain.
  Not that Shane has ever been one to sit still for long. The lifelong Mainer raised seven children and is twice retired, first at age 65 from her job with an insurance company and again at age 74 from a series of part-time positions that included waiting tables and working in a grocery store.

But as she has grown older, she has sometimes been sidelined by several health problems, including high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and struggles with weight and depression. Doctors prescribed medications to help, but Shane, who lives alone, would often forget to take them, sometimes waking up in the middle of the night and wondering why she didn’t quite feel right.

Then Shane attended a presentation in the community room of her senior housing development and learned about Ibis Health, a groundbreaking virtual chronic care management program from Senscio Systems designed to help retirees like Shane take better care of themselves at home. Shane decided to give Ibis Health a try, thinking it might help her stay on track with her medications and set goals to improve her well-being.
  
Three years into the program, Shane says Ibis Health has done that and so much more.

Through Ibis Health, Shane received a continuously connected telehealth tablet that prompts her to track her blood pressure and weight and cues her to eat at various points through the day, helping her to keep her blood sugar under control. It reminds her to take her medications and notifies her of upcoming doctor appointments. It also helps her to track her daily movement and exercise. Covered by Medicare Part B, Ibis Health’s proprietary AI-powered platform flags risks for health decline before they happen, allowing Shane to make in-the-moment changes to keep herself feeling her best.

 The tablet is self-explanatory and very easy to use, Shane says. “I use it every day. I wake up to it and say good morning,” she says. “It takes me through my morning medications and eating my breakfast, and just generally checking off things that I don’t think to do, like drinking water.”
  

Each month, Shane receives a phone call from an Ibis Health member advocate, who checks in to see how she is doing. Often her member advocate will make suggestions or send information to help, such as a food diary to help figure out which foods might be contributing to acid reflux. “We go over everything I’ve accomplished, and we go over things that I want to accomplish and haven’t been able to,” Shane says.

Shane also receives a monthly report with a summary of her blood pressure and other health indicators she has tracked so she can see her progress. She can take the report to show her doctor.

The program has given her a better understanding and awareness of her own health, Shane says. “I can now tell when my blood sugar is getting low, because I start to get shaky. I can tell when it’s starting to get high because I get a different sort of headache. When I get a headache, I automatically check my blood sugar.”

 And with the support of the Ibis Health team, Shane says she’s been able to get her diabetes and blood pressure under control, and last year she lost over 20 pounds. She started walking, leading to the three 5Ks, and joined a gym, working with a personal trainer to help her build strength and improve her balance. Recently, she took up a painting class, something she always wanted to try.
  

“That’s all with Ibis’ help and them just cheering me on. It’s made me realize that I can accomplish more than I thought I could,” Shane says. “I never thought I would venture to learn how to paint, and I’m having such a wonderful time with it. But it’s the member advocates talking to me and saying, ‘You need to find something to occupy your time, let’s talk about what you want to do.’”

 Shane says with Ibis Health she feels like she has a support system. “You get a monthly call, but they are also available anytime you need them. You can send them a note or can call and leave a message, and they’ll call you back immediately. If you are unsure about certain things, you can discuss it with them and get answers and ways to maybe start living a better life.”
  

“I just think it’s a wonderful program,” Shane says. “On a scale of 1 to 10, it’s been a 10.”

  
This is a true member story, with thanks to Sharon Shane for sharing her success on the Ibis Health Program.
 
 To learn more about the Ibis Health Program by Senscio Systems please visit:
 
 
 

ibishealth.org

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