Healthy Aging - Whole Person Care Approach
Chronic Care Management
Joan Lu, BSN, RN, PHN, BC-FMP
Public Health Nurse
Geriatric Nurse Case Manager
Board Certified - Functional Medicine Practitioner
.png)
Conventional
Medicine using Functional Medicine Approach
A system in which medical doctors and other health care professionals treat symptoms and diseases using drugs, radiation, or surgery. Also known as Allopathic Medicine, Biomedicine, and Western medicine.
​
Functional Medicine is a systems biology–based approach that
​
Healthy Aging using Food as Medicine
"Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”
​
-Hippocrates
​
The saying “food is medicine” is truer than ever. What we eat or don’t eat affects body weight, nutrient absorption, blood sugar, cholesterol, energy levels, and risk for heart disease and other chronic diseases. With all the (often-conflicting) information
Medication Therapy Management
Medicines are meant to help, not harm. But sometimes taking too many drugs can be dangerous, especially for older adults. Inappropriate polypharmacy, the use of excessive or unnecessary medications from 5 - 30 prescribed medications increase the risk of adverse drug effects, and drug interactions. My work in this area educating the patient, creating plans for them to bring the topic up for discussion with their providers and coordinate with them can help ensure older adults take only those they need to help them live better quality of life.
Geriatric Medicine
Geriatrics is the branch of healthcare that focuses on the older adults’ needs and abilities.
Aging is a natural process experienced by all living beings, as a result of becoming old, adults may have unique health conditions. As chronological age increases, health status may begin to decline, one of the challenges of aging is that more than half of older adults have three or more
Getting Help
Public Health Nurses have special training and experience to help the public and the aging population maintain their health and independence for as long as possible.
1.
Multicomplexity
​
It describes the whole person, living with multiple chronic conditions, advanced illness, and/or with complicated biopsychosocial needs.
2.
Mind
​
-
Mentation
-
Dementia
-
Delirium
-
Depression
3.
Mobility
​
-
Amount of mobility and function
-
Impaired gait (the medical term for how you walk) and balance
-
Prevention of injuries from falls
4.
Medications
​
-
Polypharmacy (the medical term for taking several medications) and de-prescribing (the opportunity to stop unnecessary medications)
-
Optimal prescribing (working to make sure the quality, rather than quantity, of medications you take serves your personal needs as you age)
-
Adverse medication effects (the medical term for serious side effects associated with medications) and medication burden
5.
What Matters Most
​
-
Each individual’s own meaningful health outcome goals and care preferences
Medical
Dispensary
Dispenses professional-grade food supplements when Food as Medicine Approach is not feasible such as elderly patients or busy adults who are not able to shop and cook for themselves or for the family anymore. Or if the initial approach is providing inadequate nutrients. Studies suggest that even a balanced diet may not provide all essential nutrients. We are here to help.
My Approach
Joan Lu, BSN, RN, PHN, BC - FMP is the owner and founder of Bay Area Concierge Nursing. She is holding a Registered Nurse License and Public Health Nurse License in the State of California, USA, specializing in Chronic Care Management using Integrative Medicine Approach. She specializes in the care of the aging. She has unique set of skills and knowledge that allows her to provide high-quality care to her patients. She has developed a deep understanding of the special physical, emotional, psychological, spiritual and social needs of older adults, and provides compassionate care that improves their quality of their lives as long as possible. She has been able to help patients using her conventional medicine education and experience, while using root-cause medicine and food as medicine approach. Joan has always had a passion for taking care of patients especially of the aging population, advocating for a more holistic, integrative approach to healthcare. Currently, she is completing her degree in Doctor of Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine.