For family caregivers, the devil is in the details. The Hospital at Home model has been around since 1995, but in the time of COVID, it is gaining traction. Hospital at Home gives acute care that would normally be given in a hospital to patients in their homes. Generally, it includes intravenous therapy (mainly antibiotics), anticoagulation, wound care and chemotherapy … [Read more...]
When Healthcare Policies And Procedures Are Unreasonable, Family Caregivers Pay The Price.
During the last year, mom used a home health agency several times for wound care, OT and PT. Her last hospital visit restarted these services, but we were unable to use the same agency. The original agency is closing the home visit part of their business, moving to working in facilities only. There is no way to know if they will resume home visits. I am disappointed because … [Read more...]
A Living Will for Future Treatments. Is It Possible and Does It Make Sense?
I’d like to know what my loved one wants before a life changing diagnosis which does not allow them to state their opinion. I am an advocate of individuals determining how they want to live out the their lives. I took such comfort in knowing that we honored dad's wishes. His gift to me was peace when he passed because I knew we were doing what he wanted. It is why I … [Read more...]
Pandemic Tipping Point: “In less than a year, the U.S. erased more than 30 years of women’s employment gains.”
That startling statistic comes from the report by the TIME’S UP Foundation: Women’s Work: Key Policies and Paradigms for An Inclusive Post-Pandemic Economy. The drain on businesses from employees with caregiving responsibilities became clear through the pandemic. One of the driving forces behind why women left the work force is lack of caregiving policies. It continues to be … [Read more...]
Pandemic Tipping Point: Allowing Family Members Into LTC Facilities
Last week’s article looked at the important role the Long-Term Care Ombudsman (LTCO) plays in advocating for Long-Term Care (LTC) residents during the pandemic. As we all know, with no warning in March 2020, visitors were no longer allowed in LTC communities as mandated by the federal government. The only exceptions initially made were for end-of-life visits. Then with the … [Read more...]