HomeCare of Holland Home provides new service for patients with edema
HomeCare of Holland Home is now offering Complete Decongestive Therapy (CDT), a gentle, non-invasive treatment for chronic edema. CDT is appropriate for patients with primary lymphedema or secondary lymphedema as a result of surgery, cancer, radiation treatments, chemotherapy, infection, obesity, chronic venous insufficiency or trauma. Treatment may include manual lymphatic drainage, compression therapy and exercise therapy. All treatments are performed by a certified lymphedema therapist.
While there is no cure for lymphedema, treatment can significantly reduce troublesome symptoms and decrease the risk of further complications.
HomeCare of Holland Home can also offer skilled nursing, certified home health aides, occupational therapy and social workers to help with long-range planning.
“The results were impressive. The treatments made tremendous improvements.” —A client’s physician.
For more information, call (616) 235-5113.
March 8th, 2010 | Posted in General, HomeCare | Share this on Facebook or Twitter
Ronald Duemler appointed Medical Director for HomeCare of Holland Home
HomeCare of Holland Home is pleased to announce the appointment of Ronald S. Duemler, MD, MS, CMD as medical director for HomeCare of Holland Home. Dr. Duemler is board certified in both Family and Geriatric Medicine and holds a master’s degree in clinical research design and bio statistics from the University of Michigan. He is also a certified medical director through the American Medical Directors Association.
He will continue as an associate professor with Michigan State University. He currently coordinates the geriatrics curriculum for the Family Medicine Residency Program of the Grand Rapids Education and Research Center and serves as administrator of Advantage Health’s Geriatrics Program. In 2008, he also became board certified in Hospice and Palliative Care.
“We feel very blessed to have access to Dr. Duemler’s skills and expertise,” said Carolyn Flietstra, executive director of HomeCare of Holland Home, “and we look forward to having him on the HomeCare administrative team.”
January 19th, 2010 | Posted in General, HomeCare | Share this on Facebook or Twitter
Give the gift of help this Christmas
Not sure what to get a friend or loved one for Christmas? Give the gift of help from Holland Home’s In-Home Helpers. Our friendly, caring staff can help with light housework, meal preparation, errands or shopping as well as more skilled tasks like medication set-up, dressing changes and care coordination.
Your gift of an In-Home Helpers gift certificate can provide your loved one with transportation to an appointment or outing, assistance with bathing or dressing or just some one-on-one companionship. There’s no need to worry about size or color—the gift of help is always right and always appreciated.
To purchase your gift certificate for an In-Home Helper service, call 616-643-2525, or, for a free consultation, call 616-235-5113.
We’re on the web at in-homehelpers.org.
December 15th, 2009 | Posted in Breton, Fulton, General, HomeCare, Raybrook, Rehab Dimensions | Share this on Facebook or Twitter
HomeCare of Holland Home receives highest nationally recognized standards of excellence
HomeCare of Holland Home has been granted continuing accreditation for quality home and community care by the Community Health Accreditation Program (CHAP).
The CHAP gold seal of approval assures patients and their families, physicians, insurance companies and health care professionals that accredited programs have gone beyond minimum quality levels and have met the industry’s highest nationally recognized standards of excellence. Due to this recognition of quality service, the federal government recognizes CHAP accredited organizations as meeting Federal standards of quality and performance and therefore certified to provide care to Medicare patients.
According to Terry A. Duncombe MSHA RN, President and Chief Executive Officer of CHAP, “The accreditation that HomeCare of Holland Home has achieved is important to the local and national health care community, and to the public at large. It demonstrates that an organization has achieved excellence in operations and the services it provides to people in need.”
November 13th, 2009 | Posted in HomeCare | Share this on Facebook or Twitter
Living Life to the Fullest—How Occupational Therapy Can Help
“Is the glass half full or half empty?”
Occupational therapists and assistants have the answer: It’s full when client and therapist work together in harmony to ensure that clients are doing their best no matter what challenges they face.
According to the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), “Occupational therapy enables people to achieve their goals, function at the highest possible level, concentrate on what matters most to them, maintain or rebuild their independence and participate in everyday activities that bring meaning to their lives.”
Occupational Therapy (OT) aids in maximizing function, including bathing, dressing, grooming, home management (cleaning, cooking, laundry), equipment use, upper extremity strength/range of motion, cardiac rehabilitation, client education and the reduction of pain. OT is not simply getting back to your occupation; instead it is getting back to your daily activities. Some areas of treatment in Occupational Therapy include:
• Enabling recovery after arm and wrist fractures
• Decreasing complaints of shoulder and elbow pain or decreased motion
• Addressing difficulty with self care or Activities of Daily Living
• Progressing cardiac rehab and energy conservation/joint protection
• Obtaining adaptive equipment for self care, dressing, or home modification
Holland Home provides Occupational Therapy (OT) services at all levels of the continuum. With 19 registered Occupational Therapists and Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants working at all Holland Home Campuses and throughout the community, the services can be brought to where you live. OT services are provided in skilled nursing facilities, in your home for homebound individuals, and at our three CORF accredited outpatient centers, at Breton Terrace, Raybrook and Fulton.
If you have questions about whether you might benefit from Occupational Therapy services, call the Holland Home Intake Department at (616)235-5113. We can give you more information and arrange for a free in-home screening by one of our occupational therapy clinicians. Occupational Therapy services are covered by Medicare, Medicare HMOs and most private insurances.
“Living Life To Its Fullest”™ is what occupational therapy is truly all about.
October 1st, 2009 | Posted in Breton, Fulton, General, HomeCare, Raybrook, Rehab Dimensions | Share this on Facebook or Twitter
The Wellness Series Presents: Staying Healthy This Winter
HomeCare of Holland Home is proud to present Marilyn Schutter, RCN on “Staying Healthy This Winter.” Marilyn will present tips on staying healthy during the cold winter months ahead along with everything you ever wanted to know about the ‘flu!
Tuesday, October 13 at 2:00 p.m.
Breton Terrace – Centre Place
2500 Breton Woods Drive
Grand Rapids
RSVP: 616-235-5112
September 29th, 2009 | Posted in Breton, Fulton, General, HomeCare, Raybrook, Rehab Dimensions | Share this on Facebook or Twitter
For all AFC or HFA administrators
Did you know that residents of Adult Foster Care homes and Homes for the Aged may now be eligible for Michigan’s Home and Community Based Waiver Program while continuing to live in their current facilities? HomeCare of Holland Home invites assisted living administrators to learn more at one of the short information sessions we will be hosting with a presentation by representatives for this program.
Date: Tuesday, July 7 at 3:00 P.M. OR Thursday, July 9 at 3:00 P.M.
Location: HomeCare of Holland Home Corporate Office
2100 Raybrook Street, SE, Suite 303, Grand Rapids 49546
Presenters: Mary Inglot, LMSW and Mary Rynbrandt, LBSW of HHS Health Options’ Waiver Program
RSVP: Nicole Snow, 616-235-5112 or nicole.snow@Holland Home.org
There is no charge for these sessions.
The MI Choice Waiver Program pays for services that provide eligible AFC and HFA residents an alternative to moving from their current residence to a nursing home. It offers seniors great quality of life by allowing htem to stay in the setting where they have become comfortable, and allows AFC and HFA facilities alternatives to help defray the cost.
July 1st, 2009 | Posted in General, HomeCare | Share this on Facebook or Twitter
HomeCare of Holland Home Receives Commendation from the Community Health Accreditation Program, Inc.
HomeCare of Holland Home recently received a commendation from the Community Health Accreditation Program, Inc (CHAP) for inter- and intra-organizational coordination among clinical, financial and operational components of HomeCare. Their 2006 commendation for outstanding improvements in achieving patient outcomes was also upheld in the recent 2009 survey.
CHAP is an independent, non-profit accrediting body created in 1965. They are the leader in improving the quality of community based health care services in the United States. CHAP has been approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) to perform the CMS state surveys in place of the government agencies. Accreditation is voluntary and indicates a high level of quality.
May 29th, 2009 | Posted in HomeCare | Share this on Facebook or Twitter
Schultze, HomeCare of Holland Home Commended by Kent County Health Department
Barbara Schultze, clinical director of HomeCare of Holland Home, was commended recently by the Kent County Health Department. Pat Draper, Kent County Health Department emergency preparedness specialist, commended Barbara for her work in helping HomeCare of Holland Home prioritize pandemic planning and for engaging the Kent County Health Department in the planning process.
May 22nd, 2009 | Posted in General, HomeCare | Share this on Facebook or Twitter
HomeCare of Holland Home Can Meet Your Mental Health Needs
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Many people are not aware of the fact that
HomeCare of Holland Home has a program that is similar to traditional home care but is focused on the person with mental health needs. Our psychiatric nurses visit clients in their own homes, and our primary goal is to help keep them there.
Our services are separately funded under Medicare, Medicaid and other payers and can be provided in addition to the services coordinated for clients under the Medicaid Waiver, community mental health or their own mental health provider.
What makes HomeCare of Holland Home different from other home care agencies is that our Mental Health program has been collaborating with Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services since 1991 to provide the community with highly experienced psychiatric nurses. We want our clients to experience comfort and peace of mind, knowing that all their needs, including their mental health needs, are well managed. Their quality of life is always our highest priority.
Refer to Mental Health Home Care when a person is:
• Sleeping or eating poorly, or feeling a loss of energy and motivation.
• Fearful, fretful, needing lots of contact and reassurance from others.
• Anxious, has many complaints that can’t be solved, focuses on one or two things in particular.
• Talking about wanting to die, or to not to wake up in the morning, or makes actual self-harm statements.
• Suspicious of family, friends or others, and can’t be reassured, difficult to re-direct or assaultive to family, staff or peers.
What A Psychiatric Nurse Can Do:
• Assess the overall situation and provide consultation and recommendations and help with problem-solving.
• Assess behaviors and teach about non-medication interventions.
• Help to decide when medication is necessary to improve quality of life.
• Provide education regarding what medication side effects to look for.
• Educate about when to use an “as needed” medication.
• Provide consultation when a change in living environment is needed for safety. Help for staff with decision-making and problem-solving twenty-four hours a day to keep people as healthy as possible, both physically and mentally.
Our goal is to help your loved to live as independently as possible. To learn more about Mental Health HomeCare of Holland Home, please call one of our central intake nurses as 616-235-5113.
May 20th, 2009 | Posted in General, HomeCare | Share this on Facebook or Twitter