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
Preparing for a Potential Pandemic
With concern about the current rise in cases of swine flu sweeping the country, HomeCare of Holland Home has accessed resources from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Medicare and OSHA to create a plan for dealing with a possible flu pandemic.
Central Services has acquired the appropriate masks, and staff are being trained in fit-testing the masks. By Friday, May 1, we hope to have all relevant staff fit-tested.
Following are some guidelines from the CDC regarding swine influenza:
1. What is Swine flu?
A respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza viruses that cause regular outbreaks in pigs. People do not normally get swine flu, but human infections can and do happen.
2. Are there human swine flu infections in the U.S.?
In late March/early April 2009, cases of human infection with swine influenza viruses were first reported in Southern California and near San Antonio, Texas. Other cases have been reported internationally and in other U.S. states.
3. Is this swine flu virus contagious?
CDC has determined that this swine influenza A (H1N1) is contagious, and is spreading from human to human. However, at this time, it is not know how easily the virus spreads between people.
4. What are the signs/symptoms of swine flu in people?
It is similar to the regular human flu and includes fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some have reported diarrhea/vomiting.
5. How does swine flu spread?
It is thought to be same way as seasonal flu spreads; person to person through coughing or sneezing of people with influenza. Cover mouth when coughing/sneezing. Wash hands after each cough/sneeze. The virus can be spread by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching mouth/nose.
6. How can someone with the flu infect someone else?
Infected people may be able to infect others beginning 1 day before symptoms develop and up to 7 or more days after becoming sick. Therefore, you may be able to pass on the flu before you know you are sick, as well as while you are sick.
7. What should I do from getting the flu?
MOST IMPORTANT- Wash Your Hands: stay in good general health, try not to touch surfaces that may be contaminated with the virus, and avoid close contact to people who are sick. Stay home if you are displaying symptoms.
8. Are there medications to treat the swine flu?
CDC recommends the use of prescription antiviral drugs that keep the virus from reproducing in the body. If you get sick, they can make your illness milder and make you feel better faster and may prevent serious flu complications. They work best if started within 2 days
9. Can I get the swine flu from eating or preparing pork?
NO- swine flu is not spread by food.
May 1st, 2009 | Posted in General, HomeCare | Share this on Facebook or Twitter
Part one: In-home services and moving to independent living
In an attempt to familiarize the public with the full breadth of Holland Home’s services, we have created a fictionalized account of a resident working her way through the Holland Home system-from our services available in the home like home health care and hospice-through the full continuum of care from independent living to skilled nursing and benevolent care. We hope you enjoy this three-part series and that it answers some of the questions you might have about Holland Home.
Part One: In-Home Services and Moving to Independent Living
It was early morning — Ruth VanDyke’s favorite time of day. She pulled on her gardening gloves, picked up her bucket of supplies and opened the back door. The air was sweet, and the sun’s rays made the drops of dew on the grass sparkle like diamonds.
She would enjoy the warmth on her face while she tended her precious garden. Life was good-she was truly blessed.
Ruth was getting up from weeding around the peonies she’d planted thirty years ago when the children were little, when her leg slid on the wet grass and twisted under her. She closed her eyes against the pain and called frantically for her husband, Bob.
The visit to the emergency room was a blur-all she remembered was the doctor saying she would need surgery to repair her broken ankle and that she would have to stay off that foot for several weeks. How was Bob going to manage-taking care of her and the house all by himself?
The nurses in the hospital took excellent care of her, but Ruth couldn’t relax. What was she going to do when it was time to go home? Finally, the afternoon arrived, and Bob was busy packing up her things. Ruth could control her anxiety no longer.
“What are we going to do when we get home?” she blurted out. “You can’t take care of me all by yourself.”
Bob turned around and smiled. “Don’t worry, darling, we’ve got HomeCare of Holland Home coming. Everything is already arranged.”
Ruth was sitting in her favorite chair, her foot on an ottoman, when the doorbell rang. Bob opened the door and a cheery voice called out, “Hi, Ruth, I’m here.”
The home health aide from HomeCare of Holland Home walked into the room and greeted Ruth with a big smile. “Are you ready for that bath?”
Ruth nodded eagerly. She looked forward to the visits from the aides, nurses and physical therapists sent by HomeCare of Holland Home. They were always cheerful and friendly as well as very knowledgeable. She enjoyed talking to them and always felt better after their visit.
Her ankle was healing nicely, and the doctor was confident that very soon she would be back on her feet and out working in her garden again.
Life was good.
The doctor broke the news as gently as possible. Ruth squeezed Bob’s hand tight when they heard the words.
“I’m afraid there’s nothing more we can do for Bob’s cancer,” the doctor said. “Eventually you might want to think about hospice care.” He took a brochure from his desk and handed it to them. “Faith Hospice would be an excellent choice. Their team will come right to your home. And, if at some point care becomes too difficult, they have a beautiful hospice residence in Byron Center.”
Ruth tucked the pamphlet into her purse. She was determined to care for Bob herself, just as he had cared for her when she’d had her surgery, but it made her feel comfortable that there was someone she could call if that should no longer be possible.
They spent as many nights as they could sitting in their favorite spot in the garden and enjoying visits from family and friends. Bob got tired more quickly, but otherwise, he seemed like his old self. At times Ruth was almost able to convince herself that the doctors had made a mistake, and Bob didn’t have cancer after all.
Eventually, however, his pain increased, and he began to suffer from breathlessness. Ruth called the doctor, and he urged her to contact Faith Hospice.
“They’re the experts in pain control and symptom management,” he told Ruth. “I’m confident that they will be able improve Bob’s quality of life.”
A week later Ruth did call Faith Hospice. The doctor was very understanding and prescribed medication that eased Bob’s pain and decreased his sense of breathlessness. A volunteer came to sit with him, and Ruth was able to get her hair done and do some shopping without worrying. She felt like a new woman.
She and Bob were able to sit in the garden again, enjoying the familiar view and watching as the sun set every night.
Life was good.
It snowed the day Bob died. Ruth was grateful for the bereavement services offered by Faith Hospice. She was able to meet with a counselor and eventually joined a support group for spouses that met every Wednesday afternoon.
Her pain lessened as the months went by, but her loneliness didn’t. The house seemed cold and empty without Bob’s company. She had never wanted to leave the home they’d built together-where they’d raised their three kids and celebrated every holiday as a family-but the place didn’t feel the same anymore. The children had gone back to their own lives after the funeral-Bob Jr. called regularly from Houston where he worked as an engineer; Sarah made the eight hour trek from Ohio to visit as often as her own family obligations would allow and Tommy called every Saturday night from California. But it wasn’t the same.
A surprise snowstorm trapped Ruth in the house for a long weekend. She couldn’t shovel the drive herself anymore, and the plowing service she called was too busy dealing with its regular customers. Ruth hadn’t been able to make it to the grocery store, and by Sunday night the only thing she had left to eat was a bag of microwave popcorn.
By Monday morning, the storm had passed, and a kind neighbor came and shoveled for her. Ruth bundled up and cautiously made her way down the long, sloping driveway to the mailbox. She was nearly there when she almost fell and had to spend several minutes leaning on the mailbox, catching her breath and waiting for her panicked heartbeat to return to normal.
She glanced through the mail as soon as she made it safely back to the house. Junk mail, as usual. There was a colorful, oversized postcard from Breton Woods, a nearby retirement community. It was an invitation to a luncheon and tour of their new building. Ruth noticed they were run by Holland Home, the same company that had provided her home care and hospice services.
Ruth wasn’t ready for that yet. But for some reason, she didn’t throw the card away. Instead, she left it on the foyer table where the cheerful pictures of residents having fun caught her eye every time she went past.
By the end of the week, Ruth had called to reserve her spot at the luncheon at Breton Woods. What did she have to lose? If it really wasn’t for her, there would be no harm done.
Ruth enjoyed the luncheon and her tour of Breton Ridge, the new building on the Breton Woods campus, immensely. She was particularly impressed by Holland Home’s guarantee of lifetime care. She and Bob had always been careful with their finances, but she knew that nursing care was expensive, and it was always possible that she would run out of money. The idea of lifetime care was very comforting.
Holland Home’s mission also struck a chord with Ruth—
“In fulfilling God’s calling to serve others we will:
- Serve with love and compassion
- Commit to excellence
- Follow Christ’s teaching and example in all we do”
It didn’t take too many more snowy weekends to convince Ruth that moving to Breton Woods was the right thing to do. The ground was barely thawed before she was hammering a “for sale” sign into the front lawn.
The transition to her new lifestyle was easier than she expected. Her attractive apartment was large enough to accommodate many of her cherished pieces of furniture, and she had a beautiful patio where she planned an extensive container garden once the weather got warm enough.
Everyone was extremely friendly, and Ruth couldn’t believe the number of activities available. She joined an armchair aerobics class, the book club and got caught up in helping with the jigsaw puzzle that was always available.
It was early spring and Ruth looked out her window to see that a last, late snow was blanketing the ground. She enjoyed watching it, savoring her cup of tea and knowing that the weather could no longer trap her. She was an elevator ride away from a whole host of activities, and, if that weren’t enough, there was free shuttle transportation to Breton Terrace where there were even more things to get involved in.
Ruth was rinsing out her cup when there was a knock on her door.
“Hi, neighbor,” the couple next door chorused when Ruth opened the door. “We were wondering if you’d care to join us for lunch in the Bistro? It’s our favorite-soup and salad day.”
“I’d love to. Let me just get my sweater.”
Ruth turned from the door and smiled.
Life was good.
April 21st, 2009 | Posted in Breton, General, HomeCare | Share this on Facebook or Twitter
HomeCare of Holland Home releases new radio commercial for Greater Grand Rapids market
HomeCare of Holland Home launched a new radio commercial last month for the greater Grand Rapids area. The 60-second spot brings to light the hectic schedules of today’s working adult children, who are also pressed with assuring excellent health care options for their aging parents.
With the popularity of home health growing on a national scale, HomeCare of Holland Home is already uniquely positioned around Grand Rapids.
“We’ve been a nationally-ranked, top 25% home health agency for the past three years,” said Carolyn Flietstra, executive director for HomeCare of Holland Home. “The commercial communicates our clear understanding of the situation and our commitment to those in our area needing home health services in a perfect extension from Holland Home,” she added.
Listen to the new HomeCare radio commercial.
The new radio spot can also be heard on 1300 WOOD-AM, STAR 105.7 FM, and The River 100.5 FM. For more information, visit our HomeCare of Holland Home page.
April 14th, 2009 | Posted in HomeCare | Share this on Facebook or Twitter
HomeCare of Holland Home Receives Top 7% National Ranking
HomeCare of Holland Home has been ranked in the top 7% of Medicare-certified home health care providers by the 2007 HomeCare Elite’s national rankings. The criteria for the rankings are determined by an agency’s performance measures in quality, improvement, and financial performance.
That should be good news for greater Grand Rapid’s seniors. A recent survey by Aramark Senior Living Services showed that nearly 75 percent of people over the age of 65 would prefer to remain in their current residence as opposed to seeking care in an assisted living or skilled nursing facility. Unfortunately, the demands of aging can make that difficult, but home health agencies are able to bridge the gap.
According to Carolyn Flietstra, executive director of HomeCare of Holland Home, “we provide rehabilitation to help people return to their previous level of independence or help them deal with a new or chronic disease. All of which will help someone stay in their own home.”
Choosing a reputable home care agency, however, can be a daunting task. “There are certain things to look for,” said Flietstra. “For instance, accreditations, awards, and are they certified by Medicare? All of these things speak to the reliability and professionalism of the agency in question.”
The 2007 HomeCare Elite is the only performance recognition of its kind in the home health industry. The 2007 HomeCare Elite is brought to the industry by OCS, Inc., the leading provider of healthcare informatics and DecisionHealth, publisher of home care’s most respected independent newsletter Home Health Line. The entire list of the 2007 HomeCare Elite agencies can be viewed by visiting the OCS web site at www.ocsys.com.
January 21st, 2008 | Posted in HomeCare | Share this on Facebook or Twitter