SCI Invested in Your Well-Being: Ms. Yeonok’s Story 

Ms. Yeonok is a lovely woman with a very caring family, who lives in Montgomery County, Maryland. At 90 years young, she spends most of her day relaxing and watching her favorite Korean soap operas.

She is often surrounded by her attentive family, who are very invested in her well-being. 

In November of 2021, Ms. Yeonok experienced a life-altering event. She suffered a stroke due to a blood clot in her brain which paralyzed the left side of her body and accelerated the effects of her dementia. 

However, Ms. Yeonok is a fighter and began her extensive and challenging journey to recovery. At the time of her stroke, she was only receiving 12 personal care assistance (PCA) hours  per week. With the significant changes in her health status, it was vital that Ms. Yeonok received an increase in PCA hours, so her family began to pay out of pocket.  However, the financial obligations were challenging, and her family could only afford a few weekly hours for a limited time. 

Without access to the services and support for her to live independently, Ms. Yeonok and her family were worried that she wouldn’t be able to live in her community.  The chance of that she might be placed in a nursing home increased.  

Ms. Yeonok wanted to remain in her community. She enjoyed living in her home and being an active community member. Understanding her desire to be home, her family enlisted the help of her Supports Planner, Kodjo, from Service Coordination, Inc. 

SCI Listened to Her Story, Needs, and Aspirations 

Kodjo immediately began working with the family to better understand all of Ms. Yeonok’s needs. As a result, Ms. Yeonok’s family began to trust and rely on Kodjo’s support.  

In addition to providing the family with all available options through the Community First Choice Program, Kodjo: 

• advocated for Ms. Yeonok with the Maryland Department of Health (MDH) by providing in-depth insight into her medical conditions. 
• proved the need for an increase in hours. The family was concerned about how long it would take to enlist the recommended services, but Kodjo kept them updated to minimize their frustrations.  

Kodjo’s level of communication made a huge difference, the family was very receptive, and they knew Kodjo cared about  Ms. Yeonok’s needs. MDH finally approved Ms. Yeonok’s request to increase hours, and she was granted 65 PCA hours a week!  

Individualized, Efficient, and Compassionate Support 

With the successful approval of Ms. Yeonok’s annual plan of service, her family is finally relieved from the financial stress of paying for PCA services out of pocket. They are grateful that Ms. Yeonok can remain living in her beloved community where she feels empowered and independent – her ultimate goal was achieved with the guidance of her Supports Planner Kodjo.  

Interested in individualized support, but not sure if you or a loved one is eligible? Contact us for help finding out! Contact us to discuss how our SPS program can support you or a loved one:   

call us at 888-505-8677   

email SPSinfo@sc-inc.org.