Diabetes

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According to data from the 2011 National Diabetes Fact Sheet, 25.8 million children and adults in the United States have diabetes.  That’s 8.3% of the population.

Research on diabetics reveals the prevalence of the disease is weighted differently amongst various ethnic groups, with the highest prevalence occurring in non-Hispanic African-Americans (12.6%).  The disease affects 7.1% of non-Hispanic whites, 8.4% of Asian Americans and 11.8% of Hispanics.

Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness for adults over 20 and the leading cause of kidney failure.  More than 60% of people with diabetes will have nervous system damage (peripheral neuropathy) and more than 60% of non-traumatic amputations are a result of complications from diabetes.

And yet, diabetes is a controllable, manageable disease.  With proper self-management and medical care, the majority of diabetics can live lives relatively free of health crises.

Key elements to successful diabetes treatment include:

  1. Physician directed care regarding dosages and timing of oral or injectable diabetes medications, including target values for blood glucose, cholesterol levels, blood pressure and weight.
  2. Regular exercise.
  3. Physician directed advice on proper nutrition, including types of food, meal planning and appropriate snacks, and the timing of meals.

Instructions for Diabetes Daily Foot Check:

  1. Check the tops, bottoms and between your toes.  Use a mirror to check the bottom of your feet if necessary.  Look for:
    1. Skin color changes
    2. Pain in your legs
    3. Ingrown or fungal toenails
    4. Corns or callouses
    5. Swelling of the foot or ankle
    6. Open sores that are slow to heal
    7. Dry cracks in the skin
  2. Wash your feet daily with mild soap and lukewarm water.
    1. Gently dry your feet, especially between the toes.
    2. Moisturize your feet (but not between the toes),
  3. Cut your toenails straight across, using toenail clippers with a straight edge.  (It is easiest to do this after a shower or bath when the nails are the softest.)  Avoid cutting into the corners.

Managing diabetes is about daily personal accountability.  Diabetes must be taken seriously and attention must be paid to good nutrition, physical fitness, blood sugar monitoring, and foot care.  You must be in partnership with your doctor.  Keep careful records of your blood sugar and establish a good routine for yourself that is easy to maintain.  Keep your doctor informed of any changes in your general health.  Your doctor will adjust your regimen as appropriate. Most importantly, NEVER lie to your doctor.  Ignoring symptoms associated with diabetes is a slippery slope to blindness, amputations and other medical complications including nerve damage and kidney disease.

 

 

Sherry Netherland is the Director of Special Projects for Assisted Healthcare Services, a Medicare certified, CHAP accredited home health agency with 7 branches in California and Arizona. She founded the Assisted Speakers Bureau and she speaks on a variety of healthcare related issues. To learn more about private duty nursing and how Assisted can help, www.assisted1.com/home_health_care.

New to Having a Caregiver? Assisted Has 5 Simple Suggestions

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For many of us, having people assist us who are not friends or family can be a new experience.  All too often we must adapt to having strangers in our home, or the home of a loved one, during a time of crisis – a time when illness obligates us to hire outside help.

Having hired help can be especially difficult for independent-minded seniors who see having a caregiver in the home as a sign that they are “elderly” or infirm and no longer capable of taking care of themselves – a sign that they are on a slippery slope to the end of their lives.  (This is important to mention because it can also be a trigger for depression – an all too common problem in seniors.)

The resistance to having personal assistance can be so strong that when faced with the unwanted prospect of a caregiver, senior adults have been known to sabotage the efforts of their children to hire personal care attendants.  This can start the caregiver/patient relationship on a bad foot.   Clients will find fault with everything the caregiver does just to prove having a caregiver won’t work.  “They’re a terrible cook;”  “They forgot to put fabric softener in with the wash;”  “They’re too tall;”  “They’re too short!”  Some of these issues might seem insignificant, but if you are dead set against having help in the home, it will seem as if your caregiver can do nothing right.

Here are 5 valuable suggestions for integrating a caregiver into your life or the life of a loved one:

1. Work with a reputable agency.  See the previous blog post, “The Assisted Difference” to learn about the advantages of working with an agency.

2. Try out an agency by using them for respite assistance.  If you are the primary caregiver for your parent or other relative, you can hire an agency for a short term, temporary commitment to allow yourself some relief.  This will give you an      opportunity to assess how responsive the agency is to you or your family      member’s needs.  You can test out their customer service.

3. Start small.  If you are fortunate to be hiring someone prior to a health crisis, begin by having someone to your home two or three times a week for four hours per day.  This might be an opportunity for an outing, or company on a doctor’s appointment, or assistance with bathing, changing the bed linens and laundry.  Perhaps a few meals can be made in advance for re-heating on days when you are by yourself.  This will provide a non-threatening way to establish if you find the caregiver compatible with your needs.

Adjusting to a caregiver is also about matching personalities – something that cannot always be predicted.  Sometimes the best caregiver an agency has will not mesh with a client simply because they just don’t get along.  One of the key advantages to having an agency assist you is you can change caregivers easily.  The caregiver doesn’t have to have done anything wrong for you to switch.   A good agency will understand that at the start of a client relationship, there will need to be a lot of attention paid to the adjustment period.

4.  When requesting a caregiver from an agency, be as detailed as possible about your needs and any special requirements.  For example:

a.  Are there vision problems?  How are these dealt with?  Special lighting, special glasses, other assistive devices, etc.

b. Are there hearing problems? How are these dealt with? Is there a hearing aide(s)?  How independent are you with the hearing aide? Are there special       assistive devices for the television, telephone, etc.?

c. Are there special dietary requirements?

d. Are there pets in the home?  The agency will need to provide caregivers who are not allergic.  Not all pets are welcoming to strangers in the home.  Your loving dog might not react favorably to a stranger who is holding you.

e. Are there special social instructions?  Are there individuals who are not allowed to visit?

f. Is incontinence a problem?

g. Is there special equipment used for ambulation?  Walker, wheelchair, cane?

h. Are there special likes/dislikes for leisure time activities?

5. Remember, when going through an agency, the caregiver is an employee of the agency.  They are not the employee of the family.  They are not intended to be “like a member of your family.”  Maintain clear, professional boundaries.  Problems are more likely to occur in the caregiver/client relationship arise when those boundaries are blurred.

Once a strong caregiver/client relationship is established, the peace of mind is priceless.

 

 

Sherry Netherland is the Director of Special Projects for Assisted Healthcare Services, a Medicare certified, CHAP accredited home health agency with 7 branches in California and Arizona.  She founded the Assisted Speakers Bureau and she speaks on a variety of healthcare related issues.  To learn more about private duty nursing and how Assisted can help, http://assisted1.com/private_duty_care.

 

Aging in Place – Plan, Plan, Plan

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As you have read in other blog posts, I am a big advocate of planning ahead.  I can’t repeat that enough times.  Plan ahead.  One more for good measure – PLAN AHEAD.  We are all aging.  Even though 50 is the new 30, according to the latest census, by the year 2030 there will be approximately 71.5 million Americans over the age of 65.  That will equal 20% of the population.  The first Baby Boomers are now collecting Medicare.  Soon, the Beatles will replace Jimmy Dorsey as the “pop” music preferred by seniors.

According to AARP statistics, 90% of seniors will desire to stay in their own homes.  Even among those older adults who require day-to-day assistance of some kind, 82% will still prefer to stay at home.

Staying in your own home as you age is known, simply, as Aging in Place.  Aging in Place can be broken down into three main categories:

  • Aging in Place without immediate needs
  • Aging in Place with progressive healthcare issues
  • Aging in Place with a sudden change in health

AND, are you alone or living with someone?  Aging can bring with it changes in our health that are so subtle that we don’t even pay attention to them because they don’t mean we are sick.  For example, we might experience reduced flexibility, changes in our vision (especially a need for brighter lighting – as those of us who use a small flashlight to read a restaurant menu can attest), changes in our hearing, and loss of strength are just a few.

An entire industry has grown up around this concept, in part driven by the building industry.  Those steps leading up to the front of your house that you used for exercise 20 years ago will not accommodate a wheelchair.  That small cozy downstairs ½ bath you that you love is too cozy for grab bars.

AARP has identified the most common changes that older adults will find they have to make to their homes:

  • Safety features such as non-slip floor surfaces (80 percent)
  • Bathroom aides such as grab bars (79 percent)
  • A personal alert system that allows people to call for help in emergencies (79 percent)
  • Entrance without steps (77 percent)
  • Wider doorways (65 percent)
  • Lever-handled doorknobs (54 percent)
  • Higher electrical outlets (46 percent)
  • Lower electrical switches (38 percent)

Other major changes that might have to be implemented include moving the bedroom downstairs, obtaining telephone and television amplification devices, and increased lighting.

Planning ahead (there’s that phrase again) can go a long way to extending the time you can remain in your own home.

Outline those things that you cannot live without and then strategize ways you can keep those things in your life.  Split the list into three columns to help sort them out.  For example:

  1. Social Needs – Where and how do you socialize? Is family close by? Do you assist with the care of grandchildren? Do you have a bridge club that meets weekly?  Do you travel?

How will you continue to participate if you can no longer drive?

  1. Physical Needs (exercise and MD appointments) – Do you play golf, belong to a walking club, a gym etc.  Do you have frequent, regularly scheduled MD appointments or sporadic, occasional appointments?
  2. Environmental Needs – Do you do your own garden and mow your own lawn?  Who cleans your house, does your laundry?  Do you cook or eat out?

Many of the things that you have been doing for yourself, such as grocery shopping and yard work can be transferred to hired services as necessary.  You can maintain your quality of life.

The best advice I can give you is to remain active to your maximum level of ability.  Adapting a sedentary lifestyle will be your enemy.  Activity will promote good mental and physical health and compress your years of dependency.

Assisted Healthcare Services can assist seniors in the Southern California counties of Los Angeles, Ventura, and Santa Barbara by answering questions about Aging in Place and accessing care assistance if necessary.  Contact the local branch nearest you for help, http://assisted1.com/contact_us_hhc.html

 

 

 

Sherry Netherland is the Director of Special Projects for Assisted Healthcare Services, a Medicare certified, CHAP accredited home health agency with 7 branches in California and Arizona.  She founded the Assisted Speakers Bureau and she speaks on a variety of healthcare related issues.  To learn more about private duty nursing and how Assisted can help, www.assisted1.com/private_duty_care.

 

Top Tips for Maintaining Brain Power

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AEROBIC ACTIVITY SUCH AS WALKING, RUNNING, SWIMMING, BICYCLE RIDING

In a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, men in the 71-93 year old age group who walked less than a quarter-mile per day were almost two times as likely to develop Alzheimer’s Disease or other form of dementia than men who walked more than two miles daily.

In another study, also published in JAMA, female nurses, aged 70-81 years who walked 1.5 hours per week, at a leisurely pace, performed better than their less active peers on tests of mental function.

Sustained aerobic activity will increase the flow of blood and oxygen to the brain. Individuals will perform better on tasks that require executive function such as planning and task organization. In a study published in October 2005 by the Karolinska Institute, it was revealed that seniors, aged 65 – 79 who engaged in robust physical activity, at least twice a week since youth or middle age had a 50% lower risk of developing dementia and a 60% lower risk of manifesting Alzheimer’s than their sedentary peers.

STRENGTH TRAINING

Individuals who combine weight lifting with aerobic activity will experience the highest yields on tests of cognitive function.

ANY LEISURE-TIME ACTIVITY

Individuals who regularly engage in any leisure time physical activity, such as gardening or sports, demonstrated improved cognitive function and less cognitive decline.

MENTAL STIMULATION

The brain responds well to unique stimuli. Mental aerobics can delay the onset of symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementias. Keeping the brain active by introducing novel stimuli increases blood flow and activates neurons, maybe even protecting them from damage by increasing the production of brain chemicals called neurotrophins.
Other examples of mental stimulation:
Learn something new.
Try changing long established routines.
Read books.
Read the paper.
Do puzzles, card games, etc.

SOCIALIZE AND STAY INVOLVED

An isolated, sedentary lifestyle can contribute to mental decline. Engaging in regular conversation and interaction with others is stimulating to the brain. Community activism is a great way to promote mental aerobics.

PRACTICE GOOD NUTRITION

Food fuels the brain as well as the body.

 

 

 

Sherry Netherland is the Director of Special Projects for Assisted Healthcare Services, a Medicare certified, CHAP accredited home health agency with 7 branches in California and Arizona.  She founded the Assisted Speakers Bureau and she speaks on a variety of healthcare related issues.  To learn more about home health care and how Assisted can help, http://assisted1.com/home_health_care.

Advance Directives – The Time to Discuss is BEFORE You Need Them

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Before you prepare your advance directives:

  • Decide what types of treatment you would want or would not want.  If you are now ill, Get information on the types of life-sustaining treatments that are available.
  • Share your end-of-life wishes and preferences with your loved ones (See The Five      Wishes below.)

Preparing your own advance directives:

  • You do not need a lawyer to prepare advance directives.
  • Make sure you prepare your advance directive to accurately reflect your      decisions.
  • Complete your state-specific advance directives. (http://www.caringinfo.org)
  • In most states, you can include special requests in your advance directives such      as wishes about organ donation, cremation or burial.
  • You also should be sure to make your physician and loved ones aware of your      specific requests so appropriate referrals and arrangements can be made.
  • Ask someone else to look over the documents for you to be sure that you have filled them out correctly.
  • Read all of the instructions carefully to ensure that you have included all of the      necessary information and that your documents are witnessed properly.

What to do after your advance directives are signed:

  • Make several photocopies of the completed documents.
  • Keep the original documents in a safe but easily accessible place, and tell others      where you put them; you can note on the photocopies the location where the      originals are kept.
  • DO NOT KEEP YOUR ADVANCE DIRECTIVES IN A SAFE DEPOSIT BOX. Other people may need access to them.
  • Be sure your doctors have copies of your advance directives and give copies to everyone who might be involved with your healthcare, such as your family, clergy,      or friends. Your local hospital might also be willing to file your advance      directives in case you are admitted in the future.

The Five Wishes

WISH 1: The Person I Want to Make Care Decisions for Me When I Can’t

This section is an assignment of a health care agent (also called proxy, surrogate, representative or health care power of attorney). This person makes medical decisions on your behalf if you are unable to speak for yourself.

WISH 2: The Kind of Medical Treatment I Want or Don’t Want

This section is a living will—a definition of what life support treatment means to you, and when you would and would not want it.

WISH 3: How Comfortable I Want to Be

This section addresses matters of comfort care—what type of pain management you would like, personal grooming and bathing instructions, and whether you would like to know about options for hospice care, among others

WISH 4: How I Want People to Treat Me

This section speaks to personal matters, such as whether you would like to be at home, whether you would like someone to pray at your bedside, among others.

WISH 5: What I Want My Loved Ones to Know

This section deals with matters of forgiveness, how you wish to be remembered and final wishes regarding funeral or memorial plans.

Assisted Home Hospice (http://assisted1.com/hospice) is a Medicare certified hospice program providing compassionate, comprehensive care to terminally ill patients in their home. A person is eligible for home hospice when life expectancy is six months or less if the disease follows its normal course. Home hospice care means the terminally ill patient is no longer seeking active treatment for their disease. Comfort and pain management are the primary concern. Home hospice care enables the patient and their family to continue life as normally as possible.

Are You at Risk for a Fall? Assisted Can Help

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FALL FACTS

  • Falls are the most common cause of hospitalizations and injuries for older adults over 65.
  • 90% of the 300,000 hip fractures and 250,000 wrist fractures per year are the result of falls.
  • 65% of adults over 60 confess to a fear of falling and if they have fallen before, 92% of those adults will fear falling again.
  • Fear of falling again, or Post Fall Anxiety Syndrome, is a serious problem among older adults.  It is a loss of confidence in the ability to walk safely. As many as 56% of people over 75 will restrict their activities due to fear of falling.  These self-imposed limitations can lead to further functional decline, depression, feeling of helplessness and social isolation.

Most Common Risks for Falls

  • Uneven Terrain
  • Dizziness (Vertigo)
  • Fainting
  • Environmental hazards, e.g., loose throw rugs, uneven sidewalks or high curbs, etc.
  • Medications – people taking 4 or more medications, especially sedatives, anti-anxiety medications, and anti-depressants, are higher risk for falls.  (NOTE: Continue to take all medications as directed by your physician.)
  • Lack of flexibility for quick responses, or an inability to correct for an unexpected loss of balance
  • Poor foot care
  • Poorly fitting shoes or improper footwear
  • Peripheral Neuropathy
  • Improper use of walking aids such as walkers or canes
  • Poor vision or poor lighting causing a collision with something in the dark
  • Parkinson’s Disease
  • Alzheimer’s Disease
  • Stroke

How to Reduce Your Fall Risk

  • Fitness. Fitness. Fitness. Exercise can reduce your risk of falling.  Daily physical activity provides daily challenges for the body’s balance systems.
  • Increase muscle strength, endurance, flexibility and motor control.
  • Conditioning exercises including walking or other aerobic exercise.
  • Wear proper footwear.  Avoid flip-flops or other slip-on shoes.  Avoid thick-soled, soft shoes if you have decreased sensitivity in your feet.  Firm-soled shoes are best.
  • Be sure your doctor is aware of ALL your medications, including those purchased over-the-counter.
  • Keep the floors of your home clear of clutter and reduce other tripping hazards in your home.
  • Have your vision checked.

If you feel that you or someone you know is at risk for falls, contact your family physician to review your medical history for possible causes and to discuss treatment options.  Falls can be prevented.  You may qualify for Medicare home health benefits, or you might decide that private duty nursing for safety and supervision is a sensible precaution.  If you are in Southern California or the Phoenix Metro area, Assisted can help with their Fall Prevention Program.

 

 

Sherry Netherland is the Director of Special Projects for Assisted Healthcare Services, a Medicare certified, CHAP accredited home health agency with 7  branches in California and Arizona.  She founded the Assisted Speakers Bureau and she speaks on a variety of healthcare related issues.  To learn more about home health care and private duty nursing and how Assisted can help, www.assisted1.com/home_health_care.

Palliative Care

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Palliative Care is specialized medical care that focuses on relief of pain and other symptoms associated with serious, life-threatening illness.  Care provision is not dependent upon prognosis, age or stage of the diagnosis and the patient can continue to pursue curative treatment.

At Assisted, Palliative Care is provided as a special program within our Home Health Care Program.  In order to participate in the Palliative Care Program, the patient must meet the home health admission criteria of being homebound and having skilled and medically necessary needs.  Our care goals focus on relief of suffering from pain and symptoms and well as enhancement of the patient’s and family’s quality of life.

ELEMENTS OF A PALLIATIVE CARE PROGRAM

On-going Assessment and Management of the following:

Physical Symptoms

  • Pain
  • Shortness of Breath
  • Constipation
  • Nausea/Vomiting
  • Loss of Appetite
  • Difficulty Sleeping
  • Muscle Weakness
  • Chronic Fatigue
  • Cramps

 

Psychosocial Needs

  • Family Support Needs
  • Spiritual Needs
  • Cognition/Attention
  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Fear
  • Suffering

 

Palliative Care Diagnoses

  •  Respiratory Disease

Advanced COPD

Pulmonary Fibrosis

Pulmonary Hypertension

  •  Advanced Cardiac Disease

CHF

CAD

Cardiomyopathy

  •  Parkinson’s Disease
  •  Dementia/Alzheimer’s Disease
  •  Renal Failure/Dialysis Patients
  •  End Stage Liver Disease
  •  Stroke
  •  ALS
  •  Cancer

The patient’s physician works with the Palliative Care Team of physician specialists, nurses and social workers. The oversite for Assisted’s Palliative Care Program is provided by a Registered Nurse certified in oncology and board certified as a hospice and palliative care nurse (CHPN).

(Adapted from the Center to Advance Palliative Care)

 

Sherry Netherland is the Director of Special Projects for Assisted Healthcare Services, a Medicare certified, CHAP accredited home health agency with 7  branches in California and Arizona.  She founded the Assisted Speakers Bureau and she speaks on a variety of healthcare related issues.  To learn more about Palliative Care and how Assisted can help, www.assisted1.com/home_health_care.

My Parents Need a Caregiver – Assisted Has 4 Helpful Tips for Finding a Solution

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One of the most common plea adult children hear from their parents is, “Please don’t put me in a home.”  To remain at home and “age in place” is a primary goal for most older adults. Unfortunately, many families don’t plan for the day that Mom or Dad can no longer safely care for themselves independently.  They wait until they are in crisis mode.  Mom has fallen, or Dad has had a stroke, or some other chronic illness has now made it difficult for them to accomplish even basic activities of daily living.  Tasks outside the home, such as grocery shopping, attending doctor’s appointments, or continuing to participate in social activities, have now become impossible.  Toss in having parents who live in a distant city and the challenges of long distance caregiving, and you can have a recipe for disaster.

At Assisted we suggest people pro-actively plan for the day when their parents will need help if they are to remain independent in their own home.

1. Have a family planning session, even if distance requires some family members to attend via telephone.  Include your parents whenever possible.  The first obstacle to overcome might be convincing your parents that they need help in the first place.

2. If there are many siblings in the family, one sibling should be designated “in charge.”  That individual will be the chief contact with the agency and the one who will instruct the caregiver in their duties.  Everyone needs to be on the same page for caregiver success.  Medicare or Medi-Cal does not cover non-medical custodial care.  Long term care insurance typically covers this type of care, but the amount of service reimbursed does have limitations so review your policy.  Planning ahead for the out-of-pocket expenses of caregiver services will help, especially if your parent’s needs change.

3. Write down all aspects of your Mom’s or Dad’s routine – social, medical, activities of daily living (including personal hygiene, toileting, cleaning, eating, etc.).  Sort your parent’s routine under these four headings.:

Can Do Independently

Can Do With Minimum Assistance

Can Do With Maximum Assistance

Can No Longer Do at All

4. There a few ways to approach this list when trying to prioritize the need for care.  People who need assistance do not always have to have around-the-clock care.  Maybe your Mom only needs someone for 4 hours in the morning to help her with her morning hygiene routine, assistance with a shower and someone to make breakfast.  Maybe Dad only needs someone to be in the house at night to safely assist him with frequent trips to the bathroom.  Looking at the list, starting with the areas of most need and working backwards, identify how frequently those tasks are done and see if you are able to prioritize the most immediate needs that would require outside help.

Sometimes it is necessary to introduce a paid caregiver into your Mom or Dad’s routine gradually – just a few hours per day or only a few days per week.  If your Mom or Dad has never had help in the home, they might perceive a paid caregiver as intrusive and they will willingly or unwillingly try to sabotage the arrangement.  Can certain tasks be arranged so family members can assist as well?   Once your parent becomes accustomed to care, adding caregiver hours becomes very simple.

Planning ahead is the best gift you can give to your parents – and to your children.

 

 

Sherry Netherland is the Director of Special Projects for Assisted Healthcare Services, a Medicare certified, CHAP accredited home health agency with 7 branches in California and Arizona.  She founded the Assisted Speakers Bureau and she speaks on a variety of healthcare related issues.  To learn more about private duty nursing and how Assisted can help, www.assisted1.com/private_duty_care.

The Assisted Difference

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Hiring Your Own Caregiver Is Not Always Cheaper

Hiring Assisted to Meet Your Caregiver Needs

Caregivers are employees of Assisted.  Assisted takes responsibility for the employer/employee relationship.

This includes:

  • Ensuring that an appropriate caregiver from our team is selected to meet your needs.
  • Handling all aspects of applicant screening and employment records.
  • Contacting all references.
  • Performing criminal background checks.
  • Testing the applicants with both a written exam and hands-on competency skills assessment.
  • Tracking that employees maintain up-to-date CPR certification.
  • Checking for current physical and up-to-date TB clearance.
  • Verifying legal work status for non-U.S. citizens.
  • Covering all employees with our Workers’ Compensation, Liability Insurance and Dishonesty Bond policies.
  • Coordinating all caregiver duties and arranging for a temporary replacement if your caregiver is unable to work.
  • Dealing with any issues that arise with the caregiver.  Our primary goal is for you to be satisfied with your caregiver.
  • Providing you with 24/7 access to Assisted.
  • Billing your Long Term Care Insurance or other payer (if applicable) directly.

Hiring a Caregiver on Your Own

YOU are the employer.  YOU take on the full responsibility for the employer/employee relationship.

This includes:

  • Hiring the caregiver – placing the ad, interviewing the candidates, conducting the background checks, and contacting the references.
  • The caregiver in your home is your employee.
  •  If you have work performance issues, you will need to handle those on your own.
  •  You would be responsible for paying Medicare, Social Security, and payroll taxes.
  • You will have to coordinate the caregiver‘s duties and train them in any special care needs.
  • If your caregiver calls in sick or wants to take a vacation, you will be burdened with finding a replacement.
  • If your caregiver gets injured in your home and you have not covered them with a Workers’ Compensation policy, your financial liability can be devastating.

 

c. 2011, Sherry Netherland is the Director of Special Projects for Assisted Healthcare Services, a Medicare certified, CHAP accredited home health agency with 7 branches in California and Arizona.  She founded the Assisted Speakers Bureau and she speaks on a variety of healthcare related issues.  To learn more about private duty caregiving and how Assisted can help, http://assisted1.com/private_duty_care.

Assisted Awarded Home Care Elite Status for 2011

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The Assisted family of companies has been named to the 2011 HomeCare Elite™ for the third year in a row.  HomeCare Elite™ status represents a compilation of the top-performing home health agencies in the United States.  The annual HomeCare Elite™ review identifies the top 25 percent of agencies and further highlights the top 100 and top 500 agencies overall. Winners are ranked by an analysis of performance measures in quality outcomes, quality improvement, and financial performance.

Assisted Healthcare Services was deemed “Top 500 Agency” for its Scottsdale, Glendale, and Santa Barbara offices. Our West Covina branch garnered the highest award, “Top Agency.”  The Ventura Office for Assisted Home Care also shared in the “Top 500 Agency” honors.

“The 2011 HomeCare Elite winners demonstrate a commitment to providing their patients with the best possible care while performing at the highest level,” said Nancy Buller, senior director of marketing communications at OCS HomeCare. “We congratulate Assisted Healthcare Services on being one of the top home care agencies in the country.”

Assisted credits the benchmarks of improved pain control, improved functioning for patients in activities of daily living, and judicious use of rehabilitation therapies as contributing factors for the company’s ability to rank as one of the HomeCare Elite.

“DecisionHealth would like to congratulate the top HomeCare Elite agencies that achieved excellent clinical and financial outcomes by providing quality care to their patients,” adds Marci Heydt, executive editor of DecisionHealth’s Home Health Line.

The HomeCare Elite is the only performance recognition of its kind in the home health industry. The HomeCare Elite is brought to the industry by OCS HomeCare, the leading provider of homecare information, and DecisionHealth, publisher of homecare’s most respected independent newsletter Home Health Line. The data used for this analysis was compiled from publicly available information.

c.2011,Sherry Netherland

Sherry Netherland is the Director of Special Projects for Assisted Healthcare Services, a Medicare certified, CHAP accredited home health agency with 7  branches in California and Arizona.  She founded the Assisted Speakers Bureau and she speaks on a variety of healthcare related issues.  Assisted Healthcare Services we welcomes inquiries about their services and employment opportunities. They can be reached at 800-949-6555 or http://www.assisted1.com