Neurocognitive Disorders
O’Connor Professional Group (OPG) helps families and individuals diagnosed with a neurocognitive disorder through customized behavioral health care solutions. We also provide support to caregivers, family members, and advisors who are involved with someone with a neurocognitive disorder.
Behavioral Health Navigation™, Medical Navigation, and Consulting
Someone diagnosed with a neurocognitive disorder will most likely experience behavioral health symptoms. For many families, this may be the first time they’ve encountered a diagnosis that requires them to work with both the medical and mental health systems. The fragmented nature of the medical and behavioral health systems, the need for coordination across multiple providers, the denial of a neurocognitive disorder, and navigating care options for older adults
and their families is confusing, overwhelming, and challenging. Whether you are looking for extra support for your loved one or needing guidance around in-home care, assisted living, skilled nursing, adult day programs, or memory care options, the team at O’Connor Professional Group can help.
Consultations
- Gathering of information from the client, family members, therapeutic providers, medical, and other relevant providers
- Development of a holistic care plan that includes care needs, clinical needs, medical, social and relational needs, and recreational and independent living skills resources
Care Management
- Coordination of medical, psychiatric, therapeutic, and other relevant providers
- Support with coordination and communication between providers and relevant family members
- Review of clinical history with family members, client, clinical, medical, and other providers
- Regular updates and communication
Therapeutic Companionship
- Direct support and companionship for your loved one in the home
- Facilitation of communication between client, providers and family members
- Creation of short and long-term goals with a treatment team and monitoring of well-being
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Skilled at navigating high-risk situations and troubleshooting client crises
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Knowledgeable professionals with strong abilities in developing therapeutic alliance
Placement Services
- Review of clinical history with family members, client, clinical, medical and other providers
- Assessment of care needs
- Selection and facilitation of admission into appropriate program or facility (therapeutic day program, assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing, or inpatient)
- The placement consultation will result in a detailed report that includes our professional recommendations for services and providers. As well as, a collaborative meetings with family and client
Family Consulting
- Education on diagnostic profile and related complexities
- Support with transitions, family dynamics, and facilitation of structured meetings when needed
- Creation of a plan to address holistic needs of individual
- Crisis management
- In-home respite support
Sam van Kalkeren, MSN, RN, is OPG’s Director of Aging Services. He has been working as a psychiatric RN
since 2012. Sam has worked with all age populations, from pediatrics to geriatrics, suffering from mental
illness. He has experience working with clients suffering from substance use and co-occurring disorders,
complex mental health diagnoses, neurocognitive disorders, and personality disorders. Most of his
nursing career has been in the inpatient psychiatric setting. Sam joined OPG from Tufts Medical Center
in Boston, Massachusetts, where he was the Clinical Nurse Director for the inpatient psychiatric
department. At Tufts, Sam helped double the size of the behavioral health occupational therapy
department. He also created a behavioral health support team to support patients and family members
throughout the hospital. Prior to Tufts, he was the Patient Care Director for the geriatric and adult
inpatient psychiatric units at Carney Hospital, in Dorchester, Massachusetts. Sam received his Master of
Science in Nursing degree, specializing in Leadership and Management, from Aspen University. He also
has a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Affairs, from Florida State University. Sam has a passion
for teamwork and helping others. He is dedicated to delivering high quality care and superior service.
Sam enjoys traveling the globe with his husband, cooking, CrossFit, and playing with his two dogs Max
and Beertje.
