ABC Home Healthcare Professionals

A home health aide often works with clients who need more extensive care than family or friends can provide. Our skilled, compassionate home health aides work one-on one with our clients at home assisting them with activities of daily living (ADL’s). Following the personalized care plan developed for the client by one of our nurses, home health aides provide health-related services, such as medication reminders, help with simple prescribed exercises; keep patients' rooms neat; and help patients move from bed, bath, dress, and groom. Occasionally, they change non-sterile dressings or assist with braces, walkers, and continence care. Some help discharged hospital patients who have relatively short-term needs. At ABC Home Healthcare, our nurse team supervises home health aides, who keep records of the services they perform and record patients' condition and progress. They report changes in patients' conditions to the supervisor or case manager.

A homemaker often assists with those tasks a client may not easily/safely do for themselves as they age in place. Our caring homemakers maintain a safe and clean environment for our clients living at home. They assist with light housekeeping, vacuuming, dusting, sweeping or mopping floors, doing dishes, changing bed linens, doing laundry and cleaning bathrooms. They also prepare meals for our clients and companionship by reading, listening and talking. In addition, they provide a watchful eye for our client's safety. Other duties may include food shopping, taking client to appointments or errands outside the home.

Caring for someone with Alzheimer's & Dementia goes beyond physical care of the individual. ABC’s caregivers that specialize in Alzheimer’s and Dementia are certified Home Health Aides that have completed the extensive Alzheimer’s Association Habilitation training curriculum. This enables them to provide better care to our clients with this debilitating disease. Our trained caregivers working with Alzheimer’s and Dementia clients have a clear understanding of what the disease is and the impact on a person's life. This knowledge allows our care giving team to better communicate with the client and also work together with the family to ensure the environment is best suited to the client’s needs. Our trained team understands the most effective ways to communicate with clients with this disease. Alzheimer’s disease can have a negative impact a person’s self esteem which, if left unchecked, may lead them to withdraw from communicating with family and friends. Our trained caregivers work with the client to ensure they’re actively engaged and involved. At ABC Home Healthcare, our nursing team supervises the Alzheimer’s and Dementia specialized caregivers, who keep records of the services they perform and record patients' condition and progress. They report changes in patients' conditions to the supervisor or case manager who will then update the plan of care to meet the changing needs.

Our 24-Hour Assisted Living at Home program is designed to help keep you safe at home as you age in place comfortably. Our unique 24-Hour Assisted Living at Home program offers the safety and comfort of knowing that someone is nearby around the clock. A live-in caregiver has immediate access to a nurse at ABC Home Healthcare if your condition changes in any way. They assist you with all your personal care needs. Just as important is that our care-givers can also take care of all those things that are part of your daily life, from running errands and preparing food to replacing light bulbs and sewing on buttons. The live-in caregiver will be a companion for you as well, who will share the activities that you enjoy, whether cards or reading or watching TV.

Respite care is essential for both the client and the caregiver. For as little two hours a day - one day a week, ABC can help you care for your loved one at home. By definition, respite care is taking a break from something difficult; while care giving isn’t always difficult it can have its challenging moments. That is where ABC comes in. Respite care is something you as a caregiver decide how much you need. The great thing about respite care is that it doesn’t necessarily need to follow a schedule unless YOU want it to, though it does need to be planned for in advance. It can be as little as an hour or two during the day or as much as (up to) 24-hours a day. Perhaps you have a family outing or event that just isn’t the right environment for your older loved one? Respite care can be arranged to ensure your loved one has a trained, compassionate caregiver with them providing the care they need while you enjoy some time away.

There comes a time when a chronically or terminally ill person prefers the peace, comfort, and dignity of being at home. Eventually this may require more help than their loved ones may be able to provide alone. It’s during these times that our home health aides or nursing can help. Our hospice-trained caregivers have both the knowledge and experience to work with clients and their families during these difficult times. Having someone to help care for your loved one can allow you and your family to spend quality close time together without the need to worry about personal care or pain management schedules. ABC can provide care as little as one hour a week, up to 24-hours a day.

An ABC Certified Geriatric Case Manager first makes a home visit to evaluate the patient's needs. The assessment includes interviews with the client, family members, doctors, and other professionals who have been previously involved in the care. Level of independent functioning and living environment will also be assessed at this time. A personalized care plan is then prepared that incorporates the physician's orders and the special social and physical needs of each individual client. By matching the patient's needs to the appropriate level of care, unnecessary costs are eliminated, and the client gets precisely the care they require. The ABC Certified Case Manager (CCM) or an assigned Nurse case manager will maintain frequent contact with client and family, regularly observing and supervising all paraprofessional health care workers. As the client's level of care changes, the nurse case manager will also adjust the plan of care and services. She/he will provide when requested and as needed more frequent visits to monitor the patient's progress or other potential health/social problems. ABC Certified Case Managers keep the physician and or family aware of important changes in the client's condition and service needs. The Nurse Practitioner/Nurse Case Manager will also provide all skilled services for the client such as insulin/medication administration, dressing changes, medication and pain management, and if requested accompany client to physician's office or clinic.

Patients are provided the medical care they need from the hospital staff, though those teams have many patients to care for. While you might not be able to be there when your loved one is hospitalized, an alternative is a hospital sitter from ABC. Having a private sitter will not only provide companionship making their stay safer and more pleasant, it will also ensure they receive the one-to-one care they need, when they need it, by being proactive on the patient’s behalf.

Each medication on its own has a specific task, but when combined with other medications it may have an adverse effect. Medication Safety is a cornerstone of our program – ensuring you take what you need, when you need it, keeping you safe. Doctors, nurses and pharmacists are trained to help you use your medications safely. But YOU as the patient play a key role in your safety. Unfortunately in your conversations with the doctor or pharmacist, you might not recall all the medications you are taking, or forget to include over the counter and / or other herbal remedies. Sometimes those combinations can be dangerous. Having a trained ABC Nurse Case Manager manage your medication can help ensure: - All current medication is documented and available for review. - You have a clear understanding of each prescription. - The right medications are taken at the right time. - Any reactions or allergies to medication is clearly communicated and documented.

Level of nursing care is dependent on the patient's needs. In consultation with the physician, or managing agency such as a Hospice or Hospital a nurse will set up a plan of care to cover the physician's orders and client's requests. The nursing care may include wound dressing, ostomy care, administering medication, monitoring health of patient, pain control, and other health support. Private duty nursing is available from 1-24 hours a day. It can be scheduled hourly or on a per visit basis and is provided in all settings such as home, hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation and assisted living facilities.

Our companion provides socialization and peace-of-mind knowing your loved one is not alone as they age in place. Our warm, compassionate companions provide non-medical supervision and socialization for those seniors living at home. They may also assist the client with quick meal preparation, laundry, and shopping. They may also perform light housekeeping tasks that are incidental to the care and supervision of the elder. This service is provided in accordance with a therapeutic goal in the service plan.