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PORT LUDLOW HEALTH NEWS (Click!)
January Wellness Forum Helps Family Caregivers
by Tom Boughner
see also in PL VOICE, March 2012, p.15
Our January forum was all about helping family caregivers with the challenges they face. Here are some highlights:
Heaven Gregg, Information and Assistance Specialist with the Olympic Area Agency on Aging (O3A), introduced two programs
available to all unpaid family caregivers from O3A: the Family Caregiver Support Program, which includes support groups and
respite care; and a Powerful Tools for Caregivers class that focuses on caring for the family caregiver. More information on
these services can be found at http://www.o3a.org/family.htm.
Keri Johns, Director of Home and Community Health, Jefferson Healthcare, explained the role of home health care. This medical
service, covered by Medicare/Medicaid and most health insurance, may be prescribed, for example, to aid recovery from surgery,
accidents or stroke. Services may be provided by home health nurses or certified nurse assistants, or physical, occupational
or speech therapists.
Tom and Sandy Boughner, owners of the local Home Instead Senior Care franchise office, talked about getting outside help
with home care, which is the non-medical complement to home health care. Since it is not medical, home care is not covered
by Medicare; but it may be covered by Medicaid for those who qualify. Long-term care insurance also covers home care services.
Otherwise, clients or their families pay for these services. Home care includes assistance with the day-to-day tasks we perform
to care for ourselves and our home when these tasks become too difficult to do ourselves. Outside assistance from professional
caregivers can be arranged through an agency or privately. While private caregivers are less expensive, the risks of going that
route are considerable.
PowerPoint presentations for the home health and home care talks are posted on www.plhealth.org
under Wellness Forums.
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| HOME CARE: AGING IN PLACE |
- See also: [elsewhere on PLHealth.org & associated sites]
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Services that help an adult remain at home [DSHS: AGING & DISABILITY SERVICES ADMINISTRATION (WA)]
"The following is a sample of the many services and resources available to help adults remain at home. Learn more about:
- Home Care Association of Washington
HCAW has partnered with CAHSAH in the launch of a newly updated online course for home care managers and front line supervisors
covering core business operating principles and identifying tools necessary to successfully manage a home care agency.
-
Frequently asked questions
[- What is Home Care? Who Provides Home Care? How Do I Select the Right Home Care Provider?]
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American Association for Homecare (AAHomecare)
"... works to strengthen access to care for the millions of Americans who require medical care in their homes. AAHomecare
represents healthcare providers, equipment manufacturers, and other organizations in the homecare community. AAHomecare members serve the medical needs of millions of
Americans who require oxygen equipment and therapy, mobility assistive technologies, medical supplies, inhalation drug therapy, home infusion, and other home medical
equipment, therapies, services, and supplies in the home."
- National Association for Home Care & Hospice
"...is the nation's largest trade association representing the interests and concerns of home care agencies, hospices, and home care aide organizations."
| FINDING & SELECTING HOME CAREGIVERS |
- Family, Friends & Neighbors
- Private Nursing Services
- Marge Beil, RN, Port Ludlow, Care Management Consultations ["A unique blend of comprehensive home care services"]
Tel.: 360.437.0212; Cell: 360.301.4439 [see also brochure in Notebooks at Bay & Beach Clubs]
- Comprehensive assessments
- Case management
- In-home evaluation
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- Hospice arrangements
- Coordination of care
- Medication management
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What is Case Management?
What is a Geriatric Care Manager?
by Marge Beil RN, CCM. In: PL Voice, November 2011, p.6.
"A geriatric nurse case manager is a health and human
services specialist who helps families or spouses who
are caring for older relatives.... assists seniors and
persons with disabilities in attaining quality care with
the emphasis on cost effective services, crisis management,
medical consultations, referrals to specialized
physicians, home care services, assisting with relocation
services, arranging medical appointments, assisting with
insurance and bill paying and coordinating services with
long-term care insurance carriers....."
- Brenda Richardson RN, Visiting Nurse. "Exclusively Serving Port
Ludlow, Wa"; Tel.:360.437.7722.
- In-Home Care Agencies
-
Home Instead Senior Care
The Home Instead Senior Care family network of locally owned franchise
offices was developed with a passionate desire to be your trusted
in-home care agency, to help your family keep your aging mother,
father, grandparents or friends in their home as they grow older.
- Home Instead Senior Care: North Olympic Peninsula [Toll Free: (800) 454-5040, Fax: (360) 681-0350]
Local Information for its now three Offices:
- Port
Ludlow Senior Home Care Services
[9483 OAK BAY RD , PORT LUDLOW, WA 98365-9794, Phone: 360-437-9884]
- Port Townsend (Kala Point, opened in Sept 2011)
- Clallam County (Sequim)
[675 N 5TH AVE STE 1B, SEQUIM, WA 98382-3066, Phone: 360.681.2511 ]
- Martha & Mary: At-Home Care [offers private home care services to Port Ludlow residents]
2497 Bethel Road SE, Suite 101, Port Orchard, WA 98366; with Phone number specifically for Port Ludlow: (360) 390-4199 (according to brochure)
"When a larger support system will help you maintain your independence and peace of mind, here’s what you can expect from us:
First, we listen to your concerns and answer your questions.
Second, we make recommendations and offer options including referrals.
Third, we customize a unique plan of care for you.
We are here to serve you and are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We serve Gig Harbor, Bainbridge Island, all of Kitsap County, and parts of Mason and Jefferson Counties.
- OlyCAP
"OlyCAP is the oldest licensed Home Care Agency in Clallam & Jefferson Counties. We have been caring for our elders and disabled neighbors since 1973. OlyCAP Home Care
offers the most experienced and long term group of caregivers on the Peninsula . We will work with you and your family to match you to a suitable caregiver."
Pages to click:
>> Adult Care
>> Community Support
>> Early Childhood
>> Employment Assistance
>> Energy Assistance
>> Home Improvement
>> Housing Services
>> Oral Health Services
>> Senior Nutrition
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Lutheran Community Services N.W.: Home Care Program
[Kitsap County,
645 4th St., Suite 202,
Bremerton, WA 98337,
1-800-378-5771 or 360-377-5511]
Navigating your Skilled Nursing or Rehabilitation Care
(after Waking up from Anesthesia)
Ursel Krumme, RN, MA, PLVC Wellness Committee
(Voice, April 2012, pp.5-6)
Shorter hospital stays and the trend to outpatient procedures require decisions and preparations for the "after-life" which are all too often neglected,
especially for Medicare patients. Recent experiences show that Port Ludlow residents and their families may not be sufficiently prepared for the (shared)
decisions related to the skilled nursing care and/or rehabilitation needed after a hospital stay for a medical condition or a surgical procedure. Such follow-
up care may be covered by Medicare under very specific conditions either at home or at a skilled nursing facility (SNF/"Snif") which, in turn, may be
either an independent company/facility, a unit in a nursing home or at Jefferson Healthcare which recently instituted a new "Swing-bed" program.
1. To access Medicare’s benefit at home, certain criteria must be met. A resident needs to schedule a “face-to-face”’ appointment with a physician
enrolled in Medicare, or certain health providers who work with the doctor, and make sure that an order is written for “home health”. Medicare
requires that you must be “homebound,” which is defined as “leaving home is a major effort.” Care must be provided by a Medicare-certified home
health agency and can include intermittent skilled nursing care, physical and occupational therapy, speech language therapy, medical social work
and certified home health aide assistance. In Jefferson County, the only certified agency is Jefferson Healthcare's Home Health which provides an
initial screening visit at no charge to assess skilled care need or homebound status. The booklets "Medicare and Home Health Care" and "Jefferson
Healthcare Home Health" provide details of the program services and admission criteria.
2. To qualify for continued care at a skilled nursing facility under Medicare rules, the facility needs to be a certified SNF and the patient must
have (had) an "in-patient status" and stayed for "three consecutive midnights" at the hospital. The 2012 “Medicare & You” Booklet (p. 35) tells
you that “Staying overnight in a hospital doesn’t mean you’re an inpatient” and further admonishes you to always ask if your physician wrote
orders for an "in-patient status" since it affects what you pay and whether you will qualify for coverage at a skilled nursing facility. Your out-of-pocket
savings at a SNF can be substantial if these criteria are met as qualified care is fully covered by Medicare the first 20 days with only a co-payment days
21-100! To make sure consumers are informed about how to access these benefits, Medicare publishes a separate fact sheet: “Are you a Hospital
Inpatient or Outpatient? If You Have Medicare - Ask!” Medicare also publishes a booklet "Medicare Coverage of Skilled Nursing Facility Care" with other
program details. Both can be found at their web site or requested at 1-800-633-4227.
As you are organizing your personal health records (Nov. 2011 Voice, p. 5) consider adding copies of the publications cited above. You can also find links
to these resources at www.plhealth.org. Consider also using a "Communication Notebook" for keeping track of how home health or skilled nursing/ rehabilitation
services are ordered and implemented. Keep this notebook at the bedside for entries by the patient, family, concerned friends, and various care-givers. Add
copies of your doctor's discharge orders with any changes in medications and treatments. Maintaining such a record greatly facilitates the desired care and
ts coordination!
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- Medicare and Home Care ("Topics") |
Caregiver Community
- Medicare Provider of Home Health in Jefferson County
[Port Townsend] [JHC Home Health]1
JHHH is a Medicare certified program and a member of the Washington State Home Care and Hospice Association.
The highly qualified and compassionate staff of Jefferson Healthcare Home Health is available when you
need health care brought to your home. Our team works closely with you and your physician to develop a plan of care
following a recent illness, surgery, chronic disease management, or change in health.
- Keri Johns' (Director, Home & Community Health,
Jefferson Healthcare), Presentation (Jan 2012, Bay Club) on "Home Health for Care Givers" (pdf)
- Find & Compare
Medicare Certified home health agencies in Jefferson Cty
Home Health
Care Agencies [www.homehealthcareagencies.com/]
Medicare Provider of Home Health in Kitsap County
- Gentiva
Closest Location: Bremerton, WA, Phone: (360)373-6966; Fax: (360)373-6965
Address:
4060 Wheaton Way Bldg A Suite 2A, Bremerton, WA 98310-3500
Our mission is to help our patients live more independently with a higher quality of life. We work with your physician to carry out their orders and serve as their eyes and ears. Most importantly, we deliver compassionate care from the heart where you want to be cared for most - right in the comfort of home.
- Harrison Home Health
"If you or a loved one are recovering from surgery or coping with an illness, Home Health can ease the transition from the hospital or nursing facility to your home.
Our experienced team works closely with your physicians and other healthcare providers to coordinate your care. From skilled nursing to physical therapy, we offer a full range of services and are committed to helping you reach your highest level of independence. "
- CMS: Home Health Agency (HHA) Center
- FOR CAREGIVERS:
- AARP
- CAREGIVER SUPPORT CONFERENCE: December 8th
- Family Caregiver Handbook; A guide for family and other unpaid caregivers... WS DSHS (Olympia) rev Sept 2010 (pdf online & brochure, 54pp.)
- Links for Caregivers
[Washington State Dept of Health Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission]
- Caregiver Stress & Resources [PLHealth.org/groups]
- Caregiver Stress Test
[Snap for Seniors]
"Caregivers are usually so involved in caring for the needs of their loved ones that they can easily lose sight of their own needs. To get a better idea of the level of
stress you are dealing with as a primary caregiver, please answer the following questions as honestly as possible. Taking this test periodically as you are caring for
your loved one will also help you to recognize changing stress levels which can be addressed before feeling too overwhelmed."
- www.caregiverstress.com/
View our new videos about caring for your aging parent.Watch the video that has more than 7 million people laughing.
I need some help taking care of my mom—I love her but it's more than I can handle.I'm having trouble taking care of my spouse…
what can I do?I have so many demands on my time—how can I reduce my stress?I live so far away. How can I get Dad the help he needs?
View the winners of the Caregiver Cruise sweepstakes.
- Information for Caregivers [Jefferson Healthcare]
-
Family Caregiver Support Program (FCSP) [Kitsap Cty]
Family Caregiver Support plans, coordinates and provides services and support for unpaid family caregivers of adults. They provide information and assistance, training, respite care and other services to help support the family caregiver in providing care to a loved one.
A Caregiver Support Center is located in the Silverdale Community Center in Silverdale....
- Caregiving/Caregiver Information (Classes at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance)
- National Family Caregivers Association (NFCA)
"... educates, supports, empowers and speaks up
for the more than 65 million Americans who care for loved ones with a chronic illness or disability or the frailties of old age.
NFCA reaches across the boundaries of diagnoses, relationships and life stages to help transform family caregivers' lives
by removing barriers to health and well being."
- Caregiving Resources
"NFCA offers a virtual library of information and educational materials ranging from national educational campaigns
to Tips and Tools for family caregivers, information on agencies and organizations which provide caregiver support,
to communicating effectively workshops.
- A Number of NCI pages on Care-Giving and Home Care for Cancer Patients, incl. by Family Members
- Sheehy, Gail. Passages in Caregiving: Turning Chaos into Confidence 2010
- "Drawing on three years of painstaking research and 115 in-depth interviews, Gail Sheehy goes beyond the academicians
to reveal both the internal and external forces acting on all of us. This humane, widescreen view of adulthood speaks eloquently
to men and women, to couples and singles, to "wunderkinds" and late bloomers, to careerists and homemakers. It is the only
book that brings together a coherent vision of the passages we must all take through the Twenties, Thirties, and Forties toward
what is potentially the best of life."
-
Review in LA Times, May 2010
-
The Long-Distance Caregiver:
Hire a care manager or assemble a network of helpers if your parent lives far away, AARP/Kiplinger 2009
- ElderRage [—or—
Take My Father...Please! How To Survive Caring For Aging Parents]
-
Three “Mission Critical” Insights for Senior Care Workers – Video: October 13, 2011
"A special edition of the IlluminAge / NcoA Aging Briefings Series featured presenter
Dr. Marc Agronin, Medical Director for Mental Health and Clinical Research at Miami
Jewish Health Systems and author of several books on aging, including, most recently,
How We Age – A Doctor’s Journey into the Heart of Growing Old. Dr. Agronin discussed:
How the assumptions we make affect the care we give....."
- FALL PREVENTION
- HOME ALERT SYSTEMS
- Philips Lifeline Medical Alert Service
Call Lifeline: 1-800-418-3656. In Jefferson and Kitsap Counties, Lifeline installation (via the BlueBills) can be requested through Catholic Community Services at 360.405.0072, ext.26
- LifeLink Medical Alert System [No monthly fee after you have purchased the initial hardware]
- Medical Alert System [AMAC}
With a Medical Alert System an individual can remain independent at home while assuring that medical and personal assistance is close at hand.
- Rescue Alert: Medical Alarms
- Medical Alarm (Designed for Seniors)
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HEALTH IN MOTION: Pers:
Personal Emergency Response Services [pdf; A LIST OF SOME OF THE PERSONAL EMERGENCY RESPONSE SERVICES
OFFERED IN JEFFERSON COUNTY]
A personal emergency response system (PERS)
is a signaling device that summons help during an
emergency. Subscription to a response service provides
seniors with an electronic device to summon emergency
help. Typically, the service provider monitors the
devices 24 hours a day and they do not require that the
customer be able to speak if they need help.
-
LifeFone
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Going wireless with your health care; Remote monitoring devices aim to prevent chronic-disease complications
March 4, 2010 By Anya Martin
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Remote monitoring may help elderly stay home
[At-home monitoring may cut costs, let patients avoid nursing homes]
By Julie Steenhuysen [Reuters] updated 12/7/2010
Many people believe devices that allow doctors to monitor patients' vital signs in their homes offer a potential way to save health costs
and allow older people to stay out of nursing homes.
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Home Monitoring Devices: Why Innovation Doesn’t Pay in Healthcare
[BNET]
[By Ken Terry | May 25, 2010]
"Today, [...] most doctors are still paid on a fee-for-service basis for seeing patients in their offices.
When they do something for patients outside the office — unless they go to the hospital or a nursing home — they receive little or nothing. While Medicare does pay
physicians a small amount for supervising home care, it’s not a major part of their revenues.
So the challenge for companies that want to sell remote monitoring technology is to get the docs aboard..."
- Home Safety & Security for Seniors [homesecurity.net]
"In recent years there has been a big growth in the use of medical alert monitoring services in the home, both as part of a home security system
or as a standalone monitoring service. Medical alerts combine two components, a base monitoring station that transmits to a central monitoring
center and a wireless wearable device—usually a button-activated pendant, wristwatch or clip on device that lets you quickly send a distress signal
to your monitoring company in the event of a sudden medical emergency."
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Michael Haberpointner's
