Help Choose Home

In today’s episode, Carla Davis, Senior Vice President of Hospice Operations at the LHC Group, discusses many of the little-known benefits of hospice care, as well as some of the misconceptions that surround the hospice benefit. This discussion will surely help listeners to navigate hospice care for a loved one.   Today’s episode discusses:  A brief history of hospice in the United States  Misconceptions around who hospice care is for and what services are offered in the benefit  The many benefits that hospice care can provide to both an individual and their loved ones  Where we should go as a country in order to make hospice care more accessible 

In today’s episode, we discuss the many challenges facing the pediatric home care field in their journey to advocate and care for medically fragile children. One innovative company that’s helping in this fight is Team Select Home Care. Today, we talk to the President and CEO of Team Select to get his thoughts.   In today’s episode, we discuss:  Team Select’s unique approach to pediatric home care  How COVID-19 has affected care for medically fragile children  An innovative solution to a huge problem in pediatric home care 

In today’s episode, Alice Bonner, PhD, RN, FAAN, Director of the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing CAPABLE Program and Senior Advisor for the Institute for Health Improvement (IHI), explains the work she now does with CAPABLE and IHI, along with her over 30 years of nursing experience. CAPABLE stands for Community Aging in Place – Advancing Better Living for Elders. While focusing on function and cost, CAPABLE links a registered nurse, handy worker, and occupational therapist together to create a network of care that helps aging adults live more safely and independently at home.   In today’s episode, we discuss:  The CAPABLE Program and how it impacts the field of home care.  The ways programs like the CAPABLE Program have started to spread across the country.  Bonner’s work with the Institute for Health Improvement. 

In today’s episode, we talk to Maria Botham, the Founder and CEO of The Loop Village, a unique online community created for older adults. Botham created The Loop Village with her cofounder after realizing the effect that isolation from COVID-19 was causing in seniors. She talks more about the ideas behind The Loop Village, as well as how the special online space is changing how older adults socialize as they age at home.   In today’s episode, we discuss:  What The Loop Village is and how it came about  The Loop Village’s unique design  How socialization through The Loop Village can help older adults 

In today’s episode, we talk to Bob Roth, Managing Partner of Cypress HomeCare Solutions. Speaking from an extensive career in home care, Roth, who is also the radio show host of Health Future and writes the monthly column, “Aging Today,” discusses his work with Cypress HomeCare. He also goes on to explain how consumers in the home care field can benefit from using an employee-based agency as opposed to hiring a private caregiver, which may lead to more liability on the consumer. Roth also explained some of the pressing workforce issues in the home care field and some of the things that can help solve those issues.  In today’s episode, we discuss:  The personal experience that led Bob Roth to home care  The benefits of an employee-based agency  Workforce issues in home care 

In today’s episode, we talk to Dr. Jay LaBine, Chief Medical Officer for naviHealth, about his work in value-based, senior-focused, post-acute care. With a medical career spanning over many years, Dr. LaBine’s work with naviHealth centers around implementing programming that helps advocate for patients as they transition from receiving care in hospital or rehabilitation facilities to care at home. Through the lens of his work, he explains how patients can benefit from naviHealth’s efforts.   In today’s episode, we discuss:   naviHealth’s care model  How Dr. LaBine got started in his career  How naviHealth’s services and Dr. LaBine’s work can make the care transition experience easier for patients 

In today’s episode, we talk to Jason Bring, a health care partner at Arnall Golden Gregory who cochairs the law firm’s National Post-Acute Care team and serves on the Board of the National Association for Home Care and Hospice. Bring also works with the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization on legislative issues in the industry. Through both his position at Arnall Golden Gregory and his personal involvement in the home health care field, Bring offers a lot of information about how legislation is impacting home health care.  In this episode we discuss:  How Bring’s work affects home health care providers and consumers  How current legislation is impacting the home health care field  How legislation could potentially drive significant progress in home health care 

In today's episode, we talk to Dr. Tom Cornwell, Senior Medical Director at Village Medical at Home. Village Medical at Home is part of  VillageMD, an organization that partners with physicians to provide the tools, technology, operations, staffing support and industry relationships to deliver high-quality clinical care and better patient outcomes, while reducing the total cost of care. Dr. Cornwell has over 25 years of experience providing care at home and has made over 34,000 house calls in that time. In this episode we discuss: Cornwell’s career-long efforts in bringing care to patients’ homes. Payment models that are influencing the trends of in home care. The importance of advocacy work in the home health care field.

In today’s episode of Help Choose Home, we’re joined by Brent Korte, chief home care officer of EvergreenHealth. He’s also an active member of the National Association for Home Care and Hospice. In this episode we discuss: How virtual care options are making home care even more viable than before The “hospital at home” initiative and how it’s revolutionizing the way vulnerable populations receive health care The ways the National Association for Home Care and Hospice is working towards greater equity in health care

In today’s episode of Help Choose Home, we’re joined by Dr. Timothy Ihrig, the Chief Medical Officer of Crossroads Hospice and Palliative Care. He’s also the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Ihrig MD and Associates. He is an internationally recognized expert in hospice and palliative care and a second time guest of the podcast. In this episode we discuss: How to know when curative medical treatments are actually causing harm to an elderly patient How the financial imperatives of the medical industry lead to unnecessary invasive treatments Why becoming comfortable with death is the secret to living a full life

In today’s episode we’re joined by Sara Ratcliffe, Executive Director of the Illinois Home Care and Hospice Council. Sara is the former State Home Care Association Chair and serves on the board of directors of the National Association for Home Care and Hospice. In this episode we discuss: How to use the Illinois Home Care and Hospice Council to find reliable local home care How technology and creative division of labor are taking pressure off caregivers The importance of training family caregivers and offering them respite care

In today’s episode of Help Choose Home, we’re joined by Erik Listou , a certified living in place professional and home and accessibility trade specialist. Erik is the co-founder of the Living In Place Institute , an organization that provides professional education to individuals involved in the housing industry. He is the former Executive Director of the Denver Habitat for Humanity and hosted and produced his own 125-episode talk radio show, "Build Responsible, with Erik!" In this episode we discuss: How to prep your home for safe and comfortable aging in place Which rooms in the home are statistically the most dangerous Why accessible housing is the future of the housing industry, no matter your age

In today’s episode of Help Choose Home, we’re joined by Sheila McMackin , a licensed clinical social worker, founder of Wellspring Personal Care , and founder and past president of the Home Care Association of America. Sheila has served on the Illinois Department of Public Health’s Home Health, Home Services and Home Nursing Advisory Board, and on the board of directors of Little Brothers – Friends of the Elderly, Chicago Chapter. In this episode we discuss: How best to search for safe and effective home care in a post-pandemic world Strategies for tackling the industry-wide staffing crisis The centrality of relationships and personal trust to the home care industry. Be sure to check out Help Choose Home Season 4, Episode 3 show notes and our full library of podcasts dedicated to helping families learn more about professional home care options.

In today’s episode of Help Choose Home, we’re joined by Edo Banach , JD, President and CEO of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization . He has worked as the Senior Advisor and Deputy Director of the Medicare-Medicaid Coordination Office at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and Associate General Counsel at the Visiting Nurse Service of New York. Edo has also served as the Medicare Rights Center’s General Counsel, and has practiced health law at the firms of Latham & Watkins and Gallagher, Evelius and Jones, and clerked for U.S. Judge John T. Nixon of the Federal District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee. In this episode we discuss: The history of the hospice benefit and why there’s still plenty of room for hospice reform The importance of standardized, high-quality community-based palliative care. Strategies for raising consumer awareness about legislative issues related to hospice and palliative care, and tips for talking to loved ones about them. Be sure to check

In today’s episode of Help Choose Home, we’re joined by Bill Dombi, Esq., the President of the National Association for Home Care and Hospice , where he also serves as the Director for the Center for Healthcare Law, and the Executive Director of the Homecare and Hospice Financial Managers Association. With nearly 40 years of experience in health care law and policy, Bill has been heavily involved with health care and hospice policy at the local and national level since 1975. He has advocated for home health care reform under numerous presidential administrations. In this episode we discuss: Ways consumers can support congressional initiatives to provide more home care options. The future of care at home in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The history of how the initiative to make home care a more accessible option has bridged political divides and united the country. Be sure to check out Help Choose Home Season 4, Episode 1 show notes and our full library of podcasts dedicated to helping families learn mo

In today’s episode of Help Choose Home, we’re joined by Beth Cavenaugh , a certified hospice and palliative care nurse and author of Some Light at the End , An End-of-Life Guidebook for Patients and Their Caregivers. Her book is an invitation to walk towards the powerful end of life instead of running away from it. Beth has been a hospice nurse for 15 years and a nurse for 25 in home settings, in-patient units, and hospitals. She specializes in helping demystify death for patients and their families while cultivating an appreciation for the end of life. She also has a private reiki practice which helps support physical, emotional, and spiritual healing for adults and teens. In this episode we discuss: How to work with hospice teams even when you’re not emotionally ready to accept the end. The care at home support options available for those who wish to die at home. Ways to be radically present with your loved one as they approach death, and some small rituals you can use to mark the event. Be sure to check

In today’s episode of Help Choose Home, we’re joined by Dr. Fran Hoh , an Advanced Practice Nurse board-certified in hospice and palliative care and the founder and CEO of Palliative Rx. Palliative Rx offers live online programs in elderly health care education for families and patients who have been diagnosed with serious chronic illness, with special attention paid to the needs of families during the COVID-19 crisis. Dr. Hoh has a robust background in palliative care, geriatrics, and critical care, and brings four decades of experience to her group and one-on-one classes. She is the recipient of a number of awards for her outstanding work in the field, including a Clinical Practice Award and a Geriatric Nurse Exemplar Award from the American Society of Pain Management Nursing. In this episode we discuss: The differences between palliative care and hospice. How partnering with a palliative care nurse can empower you and your loved ones to make active decisions about elderly health care. The importance of di

In today’s episode of Help Choose Home, we’re joined by Ken Albert , RN, Esq., president and CEO of Androscoggin Home Healthcare + Hospice . Androscoggin is an independent nonprofit home healthcare organization in central Maine that has been serving about nine counties and 185 communities for the last 55 years. Ken has a varied background in healthcare, law, and government. He was recently elected to the board of the National Association for Home Care and Hospice. Ken has served as Director of Emergency Services at Central Maine Medical Center (CMMC), as the Administrator of the Occupational Health Center affiliated with CMMC, and as the Lewiston Site Manager for LifeFlight of Maine. In this episode we discuss: The boom in telehealth during the COVID-19 crisis The future of American public health in a post-pandemic world The importance of educating primary care providers and consumers about palliative care and hospice care Be sure to check out Help Choose Home Season 3, Episode 18 show notes and our full li

In today’s episode of Help Choose Home, we welcome Kevin Heraty, Chief Development Officer of Cantata Adult Life Services. Originally founded as The British Home in 1920 and opened in 1924 by the Daughters of the British Empire (DBE), Cantata is a nonprofit organization that provides care for a diverse population and offers a variety of services to help seniors. Located in Brookfield, IL, Cantata offers a residential care facility, in-home caregiving services in private homes, handyman services, and a new Take 2 Neighborhood Care Program. Kevin has a background in banking and finance and served on the Cantata board of directors before transitioning to a full-time employment role with the organization in 2012. In this episode we discuss: The unique Take 2 Neighborhood Care Program model The ideal client for a neighborhood-based care program The benefits of a neighborhood-based care program Be sure to check out Help Choose Home Season 3, Episode 17 show notes and our full library of podcasts dedicated to help

In today’s episode of Help Choose Home, we welcome Johanna Beliveau, DNP, MBA, RN, President and Chief Executive Officer at Visiting Nurse and Hospice for Vermont and New Hampshire (VNH). Serving the Upper Connecticut River Valley region since 1907, VNH is a nonprofit organization that provides nursing, rehabilitation, hospice, and personal care services in more than 140 towns in Vermont and New Hampshire. Dr. Beliveau is an experienced healthcare leader with 25 years’ experience in nursing practice. She holds a Doctorate in Nursing Practice from Yale University, a Master of Business Administration from Rosemont College, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Fitchburg State College and a Lean Six-Sigma Black Belt certificate from the Thayer School of Engineering, Dartmouth College. Combining her educational background with her industry expertise, Dr. Beliveau is a passionate advocate for delivering health care at home, and she is especially focused on increasing care options for those in the rural communities