Being a caregiver for a family member who needs help with daily tasks can be overwhelming and isolating. That’s especially true with a loved one who is living with dementia and Alzheimer’s. Ceresti Health, a health tech startup company in southern California, is on a mission to help these caregivers better navigate an unfamiliar and stressful path with knowledge, skills development and support.

Over the past year, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota has been working to make Ceresti’s resources available to more family caregivers, at no charge. Feedback from users indicates that Ceresti’s approach resonates with people who are open to additional support, as long as it addresses their personal situation.

A personalized approach

“Ceresti works with people to understand their unique caregiving challenges and develop a personalized program tailored to their needs,” says Dirk Soenksen, CEO of Ceresti Health. “We match caregivers with a dedicated coach to guide their progress, offer support and resources. And we deliver the program using a dedicated Ceresti tablet we send to each caregiver to access personalized education, support and to communicate with their coach and family.”

While Ceresti uses technology to deliver education, support and resources, they have also made it easy to use by caregivers who may not use a smartphone or tablet or be comfortable with other tech solutions. The dedicated Ceresti tablets are cell-network-enabled (no Wi-Fi required) and pre-configured to work right out of the box.

Created to support both patients and caregivers

Why did Soenksen and his team create Ceresti?

“Dementia and Alzheimer’s are diseases that affect at least two people— the person living with the condition and their caregiver, typically a spouse or an adult child,” he says.

“We started Ceresti with the mission of improving the experience of living with dementia and the caregiver is central to achieving this mission. We support them in developing the knowledge, skills and confidence required to provide the best possible care and recognize that being a successful caregiver requires taking the time to care for yourself.”

The feedback he has received from caregivers enrolled in the program has been incredible, he says. “When I read the testimonials from caregivers, it is clear that we are having a profound impact on their lives which translates into better care for their loved ones. For many caregivers, our program is life-changing.”

Ceresti now offered through Blue Plus plans

Access to the Ceresti technology has now been added as a no-cost supplemental benefit to SecureBlue^SM (HMO SNP), a Minnesota Senior Health Options (MSHO) and Special Needs Plan (SNP) offered by Blue Plus following a six-month pilot program with SecureBlue volunteers.

“Being a caregiver can be a deeply rewarding experience, but one that comes with many emotional challenges and gaps in knowledge,” says Christine Reiten, vice president of Medicaid at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota.

“When a caregiver receives the kind of support and education available through Ceresti, they feel less isolated and more confident on how to best meet the changing needs of their loved one.”

Multiple independent studies show that empowered family caregivers achieve better patient outcomes, including adherence to care plans, reduced use of health care services and improved quality of care measures.

Soenksen says he is thrilled that Ceresti is now offered as part of the SecureBlue plan. “Offering the program at no cost to families is essential to ensure that anyone who is providing care for a loved one with dementia can improve their experiences of living with dementia.”

HMO Minnesota, d.b.a. Blue Plus, is an affiliate of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota.

Blue Cross® and Blue Shield® of Minnesota and Blue Plus® are nonprofit independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

SecureBlue^SM (HMO SNP) is a health plan that contracts with both Medicare and the Minnesota Medical Assistance (Medicaid) program to provide benefits of both programs to enrollees. Enrollment in SecureBlue^SM (HMO SNP) depends on contract renewal. 

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