TLCHomecare

Caregivers are one of the most important aspects of in-home care as they interact with the clients on a daily basis and ensure that the clients are well taken care of. As important as it is to have qualified, caring and experienced caregivers in Vermont and New Hampshire at TLC Homecare; it is just as important finding the correct caregiver for each home care client. Home healthcare is all about keeping clients in a safe and comfortable environment as they age and the caregivers have everything to do with this. But just because a caregiver has years of experience, it does not mean their personality or skill set will match that of the home care client they are working with. It is my job to play “match-maker” to ensure the client, client’s family and caregiver are all happy with the home health aide. The process of choosing the correct caregiver for a home care client starts the minute that new client comes on board with TLC Homecare. As soon as they choose TLC Homecare as their in-home

By Wendy Bombard BSN RN Alzheimer’s disease is the fifth leading cause of death in Vermont and one out of three seniors’ struggles with this disease (Alzheimer’s Association). Families are burdened with caring for their loved ones suffering with memory impairment, and many of these families are also raising young families of their own while also trying to hold down jobs. These circumstances present significant challenges and stress for families, and so it is imperative that they are able to vent these frustrations, express concerns, and ask questions at a venue where others will understand and identify with their plight. As a dementia support group leader of several years, it is sobering to witness participants listening to each other describe their day to day, week to week struggles. However, despite the sadness and grieving that can occur during TLC HomeCare & Nursing’s support group meetings, it offers them freedom to share their struggles without fear or disinterest, and many

By: Mohamed Basha, RN CMC BA AAS AA Care Manger Certified & Aging Life Care Professionals According to the New England Journal of Medicine, 1 in 5 Medicare patients discharged from the hospital are readmitted within 30 days. Most readmission are seniors and they often occur because of medication problems, nutrition mismanagement, falls in the home, and not following up with the doctor. Safety issues, nutrition and hydration challenges, limited support, and overwhelming responsibilities can make returning home from the hospital a difficult transition.  Often these patients do not meet the criteria for Home Health Care such as skilled nursing services or physical therapy.  Hospitals are under increasing pressure to reduce readmission rates under the Affordable Healthcare Act’s Hospital Re-admissions Reduction Program which lays out a plan to cut Medicare payments for under performing hospitals.  Numerous studies have shown the importance of post-discharge care in preventin

By: Mohamed Basha, RN CMC BA AAS AA Care Manger Certified & Aging Life Care Professionals As our population ages, healthcare providers are facing greater challenges in meeting their patient’s needs.  Illness, injury and the natural aging process create a need for specialized services beyond the clinical setting.  Often these patients need help with the tasks of day-to-day living, but do not yet meet the criteria for traditional home health care such as skilled nursing services or physical therapy.  Moving to a nursing home or assisted living community may be an option for some, but most seniors, if given a choice, prefer to remain in the comfort and familiarity of the homes they love.  For most families, quitting work to stay home and care for an aging love one simply is not an option.  There is a local alternative.  TLC HomeCare Services provides home care services, enabling seniors to remain safely in their own homes with as much independence as their condition allows.

By: Mohamed Basha, RN CMC BA AAS AA Care Manger Certified & Aging Life Care Professionals As a fellow nurse, I am always looking for ways to improve my patients’ quality of life, be it in the hospital, nursing homes, or in their own homes.  I also make it a priority to educate myself and my co-workers on services available in the community for my patients and their families.  In a recent meeting with a group of fellow nurses, I was astonished to find out that many did not know or understand the difference between non-medical home care and home health care, nor did they know what services were offered to their patients during their discharge planning.  It is imperative that proper discharge planning incorporates all services that are available to a patient when there are discharged from the hospital.                                     Numerous studies have shown the importance of post-discharge care in preventing readmissions. In particular, using home care with a profess

By: Robert Ellis In 2014, Medicare fined a record 2,610 hospitals (out of 3,353 subject to the Hospital Readmission Program) an estimated $428 million in penalties for having high readmission rates for certain diagnoses (i.e. heart failure, heart attack, pneumonia, knee or hip replacement, and lung ailments). In 2013, nearly 18 percent of Medicare patients who had been hospitalized for one of five conditions studied was readmitted within 30 days of hospital discharge, according to Kaiser Health News. Roughly, 2 million patients return a year, costing Medicare, $26 billion. $17 billion of that expense comes from potentially avoidable readmission. WHAT ARE WE DOING TO DECREASE THAT NUMBER? TLC HomeCare is an Upper Valley, New Hampshire & Vermont, home care organization providing services for patients being discharged from 4 community hospitals, a large VA Medical Center, and Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center (a tertiary care center in the midst of it all). The Upper Val

  By Rosaline Lee, LPN                      Rural isolation and rugged independence can be barriers to serving seniors in Vermont… Guy R. lives alone in his home in Calais, Vermont. As I drive down the road to his home, I notice evidence of washouts caused by recent heavy rains.  There is no cell reception or street lights in this area, as in much of Vermont. Guy’s home is a simple farmhouse that has obviously seen better days.  The paint is peeling, the porch is rotting and the lawn is unkempt. Guy greets me happily and proceeds to tell me the history of how this property is tied to his family. “My grandfather built this place in the 1800’s, just look at the fireplace that he put in, it’s amazing that it’s still standing. I’m still standing too.” His enthusiasm wanes when you see him look around the living room.  He sighs and says, “I know I’m not much of a housekeeper, Betty used to do everything around here. She was a good wife and she put up with me for 56 years.” He moves