The AT Home Care Blog

Elderly With Diabetes Can Benefit from Exercise

Thu, 20 May 2010 16:09:22 GMT

Exercise can bring new life to diabetics. It is crucial in keeping sugar levels in balance, but a doctor’s check up is first on the list for any age diabetic before beginning an exercise routine. Begin slowly and build up your routine to a more rigorous one or a longer time. Just do it, but don’t over do it.

Long Term Care in Health Care Reform Bills

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 14:59:18 GMT

Providing affordable, high-quality long-term care to the elderly and disabled continues to present huge challenges to policymakers. Home health care has been a great option for many of our elderly who are home-bound. Some seniors are able to receive home care through Medicare, but it is often for a specific medical problem and only for limited amounts of time. Others can get home health aides if ... [continued]

An Aging Population And Increasing Hospital Costs Lead More People to In Home Health Care

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 19:08:49 GMT

As the population ages, and hospitals cut back on their stays, more people will be looking to home health care as an alternative. Did you know that home care is approximately two-thirds of the cost of hospital or nursing home care? The pace ... (continued)

AT Home Care’s Carol Elrod Ready To Take On Capitol Hill

Sat, 26 Sep 2009 00:18:39 GMT

Carol Elrod, AT Home Care’s Director of Continuing Quality Improvement, returned from the VAHC leadership conference in Staunton, ready to take on Capitol Hill. The focus of the meetings were how to meet the increased government demands on home health agencies which threaten reimbursement for services ... (continued)

Private Care Division Opens up on Monument Avenue

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 22:48:48 GMT

Lauren Boykin and Mary Squares have moved the Private Staffing division of AT Home Care to 3900 Monument Avenue in Richmond, VA. Their business has grown over the last year to include over 50 employees and is active in Charlottesville, Tri-Cities and Richmond. Certified Nursing Assistants and Companions are available for long or short term stays. “With all the foot traffic coming in and out of the office, it makes sense to establish our own offices,” says Lauren. “We are really happy with the space and enjoy our new views out onto Monument Avenue.” They may be reached at 804 358-0631, or call your AT Home Care office in Charlottesville or Tri- Cities to arrange for care. Good luck ladies!

CEO Models Google’s Philosophy

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 22:47:33 GMT

Environmentalism, philanthropy and positive employee relations are the cornerstone principles of AT Home Care (ATHC) that CEO Ed Kassab shares with Google chief Eric Schmidt. Keeping current on the latest innovations in health care, communications technology and forging a connection with the greater community are all important goals for Kassab ... (continued)

At Home Care shows support for Breast Cancer Awareness With Pink Gloves

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 22:43:31 GMT

October is Breast Cancer awareness month and AT Home Care home health agency will don their pink exam gloves to raise awareness about this disease. The glove manufacturer, Medline, will donate $1.00 to the National Breast Cancer Foundation for each case of gloves purchased during the month. “This ‘pink glove’ campaign is a springboard for discussing annual screening and monthly self examinations with our patients”, said Barbara Wilson, Clinical Director who says that more than half of their patients are women. Breast cancer has many risk factors, including age, genetics, obesity, and family history. Women who exercise regularly, maintain healthy diets, and have regular visits with their doctors may be less likely to get breast cancer. Breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancer among women and takes the lives of approximately 40,000 women annually. “If we can keep the education going, we can aid in the early detection of the disease!”

Home Health Care Plays an important Role in Long Term Care

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 14:29:54 GMT

As Virginians try to digest the various changes in Medicare coverage that national health care reform proposes, we ask that they communicate with their legislators to reinforce that Home Care is part of the solution in lowering health care costs. Also, long term care needs to be addressed as an integral part of Medicare coverage as the population ages. Already 10 million people need help with activities of daily living and need long term home care.

Home health care’s ability to provide long term care has been an afterthought in Medicare coverage legislation. Medicaid funds more than 40% of all long-term care and most of those beneficiaries must live in nursing homes to receive funding. Only 7 million people currently have long term care insurance, while over 250 million have acute care insurance. Neither Medicare or medigap supplementary insurance covers long-term services, and only 6 percent of those over 45 have private long-term care insurance. It is truly an urgent matter that will affect the quality of life for most of us. Please write or email your legislators about the importance of Home Health Care to Virginians as being part of the solution. Your language could include:

" The goal of health care for all should not come at the expense of frail elderly and disabled homebound Medicare beneficiaries receiving home health services. Home health services preserve independence, keep families together, and save Medicare dollars by keeping beneficiaries out of hospitals and nursing homes. Please oppose home health cuts and include long term care in your proposal.”
You can make a difference!

Nurses Become More Available in Tough Economic Times

Tue, 14 Jul 2009 15:50:42 GMT

Nurses are coming back into the work force as the downturn in the economy has taken a toll on family incomes. Many nurses who have been retired want to reenter the workforce on part time basis, but usually do not have that option at a health care facility. Home health care is a more viable option for part time work, and is seeing a resurgence of job applications. Interestingly, home health is often more physically demanding. Home care nurses are required to do more lifting and moving without the help of equipment found at a hospital. The more physical style of homebound patient care is due to the fact that these patients are often older and less ambulatory. Previously retired nurses are finding that the flexibility of home care available in a part time position allows them to keep up with other obligations in their life, and reenter the workforce slowly while gaining experience in a specific field that is both challenging and rewarding.

Virginia Association of Home Care Advocacy Day

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:13:39 GMT

AT Home Care traveled to Washington DC with a bus load of VAHC members to lobby for Home Health Care. The day began at the crack of dawn, boarding a bus with home care administrators and nurses from all over the state of Virginia. The group split up to meet with 12 different legislative aides and Senators about restoring the home health coverage reimbursement rate that is proposed to be cut 2.75 percent in the current President’s 2010 budget. Over the next five years these cuts will reduce outlays for home health by $7.59 billion unless Congress blocks them. Equipped with pamphlets and charts, we addressed the past cuts and projected losses for home care agencies should Obama’s budget go through as penned.

In an effort to draw attention to the importance of Home Health Care as part of Medicare services, a letter was written by the National Association of Home Care, advocating against further reductions in home health care payments in Medicare. It has been signed by several prominent legislators, and was presented at our meetings in hopes that the Representative or Senator would add their name to the letter. The letter supports payment adjustments for inflation updates and opposes further home health payment cuts. We just got word, today, that Senator Mark Warner signed on to the letter, thereby adding more credibility and momentum to the support of home health care as part of Medicare!