It seems the growing problem of hospital readmissions has become a national endemic. Prior to 2013, the rate of readmission in the United States was almost 20 percent – one in nine patients returned to the hospital room within one month of being discharged. After 2013, with the implementation of a payment reduction program by The Center for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), the overall figures have dropped to about 18 percent. But, these statistics for Medicare patients are still higher than expected in 2016. One in five seniors are readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of discharge, adding up
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Archives for Home Care
Planning Ahead for Your Senior's Transitional Care
Sometimes it may not be possible to plan for follow-up care when your senior leaves the hospital. Accidents and sudden trips to the ER often leave patients and their families confused and overwhelmed – and the last thing you want worry about is not having the right services in place once your loved one has been sent home. Whether you’ve decided which in-home care services your senior will need in advance or have just recently begun to explore your options, transitional care is an important part of a successful recovery. Your senior may have had to deal with a traumatic
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Caring for a Childless Relative
As our older loved ones age, the need may arise for assistance from family members, as health concerns leave them unable to be as independent as they once were. Determining the best way to go about meeting the needs of your relative can be difficult without a long-term care plan in place. There are a few things that you can do to help your older one decide what the proper course of action will be for them as an individual – what they expect, what their needs are, if they will need personalized care services, etc. According to the Department
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Tips for Choosing the Right Walking Cane
Choosing the right cane requires a little more planning than most people can imagine. Before investing in a cane or walker, seniors should first identify the reason they need walking support, if they need it to support their full weight and the appropriate type, size, and fit of the device. Canes and walkers provide different levels of support for the person using them. They can be beneficial to seniors with pain, weakness and problems balancing on their own. They’re also helpful in avoiding falls and providing extra support when needed. And according to Lori Ramage, physical therapist and the Joint Club
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Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Home Care Agency
Enlisting the help of others to help care for your senior can be a daunting process. And if you opt for more personalized care that meets your loved one’s daily needs, helps them retain a sense of independence, and allows them to remain in a familiar environment, in-home care may be the choice for you. There a number of things to consider when searching for a home health care provider – like if the agency is licensed and reputable, if the caregivers are trained and qualified, and what has their track record for care been in the past. After
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Nursing Homes vs. Home Care
For many families, the decision whether to place older loved ones in a nursing home or to allow them to “age in place,” can be a difficult one. Everyday tasks like bathing, dressing, eating and drinking can become more and more problematic for seniors with declining health and mobility. The goal of any nursing home or home care provider should be to ensure that its patients are receiving high quality, compassionate, personalized care. When deciding whether or not a nursing home or in-home care is the best option for your loved one, Freedom Home Care invites you to consider these
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Helping Your Loved Ones Hold On to the Past this Holiday Season
It’s that time of year when families get together and talk about all the good times they’ve had over the years. This Thanksgiving, we will all most likely gather around the table and take a collective trip down memory lane. Sometimes, there are instances where you try to recall a memory but you just can’t grasp it from your recollection. While this type of occurrence may seem a rare occasion for most, for those dealing with dementia it is a recurring event that can be frustrating and painful. And as these lapses progress, it can be difficult for a family
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November is Home Care Month!
When the time comes to consider home care for your spouse, parent, or loved one it can easily become a daunting prospect. It is a very thoughtful process in making the decision on a loved one’s care, and often in the process the option of home care arises. Here at Freedom Home Care we’ve put together a helpful guide to some of the benefits to having your loved one cared for right in the comfort of their own home, and just in time for November – Home Care month! Home Sweet Home There is a reason people say ‘home is
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Senior Living Made Easy: Interview with Jacqueline Trotter Lotzof, JTL Brokerage & Construction
We recently sat down with Jacqueline Trotter Lotzof, senior care industry expert and former VP of Business Development and Marketing at Freedom Home Care. She has since moved on to a professional career in the brokerage and construction industry, and we had the opportunity to speak to her about her expertise, her passions, and how she can educate consumers senior living made easy. How do you focus on helping seniors with your brokerage / remodeling services? While working with seniors for 6 years and spending a significant amount of time in their homes, I gained a very good understanding of what is considered “senior safe.” Respecting
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Freedom Home Care Introduces New Computer Tablet Technology to Improve Care Giving Transparency and Communication
Freedom Home Care is excited to announce that they have raised the bar on transparency and communication for their care giving services with the introduction of their new computer tablet technology. Now, it is easier than ever before for families to keep track of their loved one’s progress, with access to live updates from our caregivers, medical documentation and prescription information, all in one place. We are happy to bring this new technology to our clients with the goal of making life easier for you and your loved ones. Highlights: Caregivers and families have 24/7 access to client’s schedule, medication list, care
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