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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.
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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."
| Health & Needs Assessment of the Elderly |
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Assess your Loved One [Numerous Articles from ElderCareWay]
INCLUDING: "¦Memory Loss and the Different Types of Memory
¦5 Warning Signs of Cognitive Decline
¦Types of Cognitive Impairment
¦What is Dementia
¦What is Alzheimer’s
¦Differences between Alzheimer’s and Normal Senior Memory Loss
¦Signs of Senior Depression
¦Signs of Functional Decline in the Elderly
¦How to Communicate the Transition Toward Elder Care
¦Everday Communication with Your Senior
¦How to Avoid Enabling
¦Discussing Difficult Topics with Your Senior
| 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
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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 [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;
Phone: 360.385.6357]
- 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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Chimacum Tri-Area Community Center
For more information contact:
James Jenkins,
Tri Area Community Center,
10 W Valley Rd
Chimacum, WA 983256;
Tel: 360-732-4822
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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
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Michael Haberpointner's
