May is Older Americans Month. Veterans Memorial Hospital Community and Home Care has a mission of aiding older Americans to remain in their homes, living independently for as long as possible. Sometimes the role of the home caregivers is long-term, other times just for a short, transitional period of time.
Registered nurses and trained home care aides travel the Allamakee County and surrounding area offering nursing care and in-home assistance to people of all ages. They offer a variety of services including nursing visits, medication set-up and administration, dressing cares, IV’s, catheter and colostomy cares, oversee rehabilitation in-home programs, and all personal cares. RN staff is on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Martha Caballero of Waukon is a good example of a short-term home care patient, only needing the Home Care services during her transition from major surgery to regaining her independence in her own home.
“Martha needed hip surgery and we found a doctor in Prairie du Chien. She had her surgery in February and was in the hospital for three days,” explains Martha’s husband, Rupert.” “Their social worker explained that Martha would need therapy and some home care so she asked us where we wanted that done. Right away we said, ‘Waukon!’ She went ahead and called Waukon and made all the arrangements. We didn’t have to do a thing!”
“We went home and the next day home care came here,” continues Rupert. “We used them for home care services including Nursing, Homecare Aid Services and Physical Therapy. The connection between the two hospitals was excellent.”
Martha is nearly recovered from her surgery and independently operating in her own home, which means she will be discharged very soon from qualifying for these home care services. She is an example of utilizing the home care services during a short, transition period of time.
“The personnel were just excellent! They had a lot of compassion for both of us and were always very professional,” describes Martha. “We are so fortunate, so lucky to have their skills and help right in our own home. They should all have a special spot reserved for them in heaven! Lori Shogren and Peggy Woodbeck were my home care aides and they were so wonderful and efficient…they just fixed me right up! True wonderworkers! And the in-home physical therapy was so important. It would have been so hard to get into a car to travel for my therapy. I’m so gracious and happy to have this service.”
“To get her in and out of a car would have been a disaster for our age,” adds Rupert. “They were a blessing. I would recommend them to anyone!!”
Referrals for home care services can be made by family, physicians, neighbors, friends, and other health care facilities. Whenever being discharged home from another health care facility, the patient can request Veterans Memorial Hospital Community and Home Care provide their home health services, just like Caballeros did.
To learn more about the ways Veterans Memorial Hospital Community and Home Care can help older Americans, please call 563-568-5660.
