Senior Life Solutions in Callaway, Nebraska
Kelly’s Story
Senior Life Solutions is a health and well-being program for older adults. We offer group and individual sessions, with the overall goal of improving our patients’ quality of life. We have over 100 programs throughout the United States and partner with rural hospitals where there is a greater need.
Senior Life Solutions addresses issues that typically affect older adults such as loss of a spouse or family member, a decline in health or a change in living situation. Often, depression and anxiety can result. The symptoms can be physical, such as otherwise unexplained headaches, stomach upset, weight loss, sleep disturbance or loss of energy. Symptoms can also include feelings of hopelessness, isolation and loneliness. We are fighting the stigma, but many older adults grew up in an era when talking about mental health was a sign of weakness. Our program addresses issues of aging as well as unresolved issues that they may have delt with alone for many years.
The program is voluntary and individualized for each participant. The average stay is six to 18 months, depending on their needs. After they graduate from the program, we follow patients as long as needed in our Aftercare Program. Although a physician referral is not required, we work very closely with their primary care provider and healthcare team.
Our team includes a licensed clinical therapist, Jerri Phillips. She brings 30 years of experience. Janel Brestel is our office and patient coordinator. She has worked with geriatrics for 38 years. I am the program director and nurse and been for 32 years. The group size allows us to have quality time with each participant.
I love rural health, because the care is more personalized. Our patients are also family, friends and neighbors.
We are proud to be partnered with the critical access hospital in Callaway that provides so many services to our community. The most rewarding part of our job is seeing a patient overcome a struggle that has negatively impacted them for years.
Picture from left to right: Kelly Herbig, RN-Program Director, Jerri Phillips, LIMHP, LMHP, LADC, and Janel Brestel, Office and Patient Coordinator