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 Homecare Gains Popularity, Tech Savvy Homecare blends the venerable principles of caring, compassion and comfort with modern technology and medical advances. That's important as our population continues to age and modern medicines make it possible to survive serious medical conditions. At Home Nursing Agency, our homecare extends not only to the infirm elderly or those facing a life-threatening illness, but also for younger people whose mobility has been curtailed by operations, accidents or acute illness. As a nation, we confront significant issues related to healthcare costs, quality of life, long-term care, personal independence and self-determination. Homecare plays an important role in dealing with these issues, and because November is National Homecare and Hospice Month, it serves as an opportunity to raise awareness. Moreover, homecare makes it possible for people to remain at home surrounded by family and friends, and the things they love best. Is it any surprise that homecare's popularity continues to grow? According to a recent AARP (American Association of Retired Persons), 95 percent of seniors over the age of 75 prefer to remain at home after retirement for as long as possible, preferable for life. This is a phenomenon known as "Aging in Place." In fact, the next generation of elders - the 78 million baby boomers - have the same intention. Most pre-retirees expect they will be able to live independently during retirement even if they begin to need day-to-day assistance or ongoing health care. Although 4.5 million Americans relied on homecare services last year, research indicates that there is still a great need for more information about homecare. Homecare serves people of all ages with specialties ranging from maternity and pediatrics to disease management, post-operative care and hospice care. Last year, 950,000 Americans living with a life-limiting illness, and their families, received care from 3,300 hospice and palliative care programs throughout the United States. The value of homecare and hospice services continues to rise as medical professionals are now recognizing the benefit of having continuing care at home. On a local front, Home Nursing Agency has adopted telehealth technology to enhance these existing care options without sacrificing quality of care or displacing individuals. For over 35 years, Home Nursing Agency has been creating solutions that meet the evolving needs of our communities while providing the very best in homecare and hospice care. With the region's growing number of homebound and aging patients, telehealth provides the means to reach more patients while upgrading efficiency for both the clinician and patient - especially in our most rural areas. In less than three minutes, a person's weight, vital signs, and blood pressure are taken on a small telemonitoring unit that also asks personalized questions, which relate to the patient's condition. Once completed, the information is sent immediately over phone lines to our Agency's nurses. The telemonitoring enhances nursing visits and helps to detect symptoms faster, allowing the nurse to report them to the physician quicker. As a result, the patient is less likely to be admitted or readmitted to the hospital. For every readmission prevented by telehealth monitoring, it saves nearly $4,500 in expense to the healthcare system. The cost is approximately $4,500 for a hospital stay of three to seven days with congestive heart failure (CHF) - the target diagnosis for telehealth. When Medicare patients with CHF are readmitted within 30 days of a hospital discharge, the hospital is not reimbursed for care. Not only has telehealth prevented costly readmissions for patients, it has helped ease caregiver anxiety often associated with conditions such as congestive heart failure and diabetes. Everyday, we continue to learn more about the ancillary benefits of telehealth technology. Home Nursing Agency is one of 10 Visiting Nurse Associations throughout the state participating in a Telehealth study, 'Empowering Elders Through Technology', via the Pennsylvania State University and Pennsylvania Homecare Association. As of last month, we had the most patients enrolled in the project. In fact, the Agency has almost twice the enrollment of any other participant in the study. This is a reflection of our dedicated staff and their commitment to providing our most rural patients with the best, most advanced care options. Home Nursing Agency's Homecare and Hospice staff provides invaluable services in thousands of homes across our region. It is my hope that all citizens join in recognizing the tremendous contributions made by these dedicated professionals to the health, dignity and well being of our families, friends and neighbors. As we celebrate Thanksgiving and recall our many gifts, please remember all the homecare and hospice professionals who make a difference everyday for our community's seniors, disabled and infirm. They make it possible for homecare to be where the healing begins. Sincerely, Robert R. Packer Home Nursing Agency, President/Chief Executive Officer 
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