Finding Supportive Care for Homeless Man: Doing Right by Patients

Case management staff works tirelessly to find safe, supportive care for former homeless man.

The case management team at Exemplar Care is focused on ensuring access to needed care is never a barrier for patients. Recently, the team went out of its way to ensure a homeless patient received the vital, specialized services he needed. 

Homeless since he was in his 20s, this patient arrived in Des Moines in late 2019 and immediately began living in homeless camps. From the first time he was seen at Exemplar Care, he was identified by the case management staff as in need of specialized services to address his cognitive impairments. 

The case management team worked with a local homeless shelter (CISS) and the Department of Human Services to file a dependent adult claim on him resulting from his self-neglect. He was found to be incompetent, which led to him being taken to Iowa Lutheran Hospital for further evaluation.

Throughout the intensive process, the case management team served as an advocate to ensure they could do right by him and for him. In striving to make a difference for him, they have helped him improve his quality of life exponentially.

Today he is safe in a nursing home, with a forever bed, shower, and supportive nursing care all day, every day. He is no longer on the streets of Des Moines and is thriving in his new environment.