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 h…

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 S…

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 Li…

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 specia…

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 be…

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 hosp…

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…

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, …

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 revol…

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 episod…

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 fin…

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 Directo…

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 …

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…

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 ca…

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…

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 spe…

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 health…

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…

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 se…

In today’s episode of Help Choose Home, we welcome Michelle Woodbrey, CDP, CSA, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of 2Sisters Senior Living Advisors. Founded in 2011, 2Sisters Senior Living Advisors offers referral and coaching services to older adults and their families who are exploring aging care options. Michelle, and her co-founder sister…

In today’s episode of Help Choose Home, we welcome Sara Wilson, president and CEO of Home Assist Health, Inc. A nonprofit organization which serves Arizona residents in greater Maricopa County, Home Assist Health, Inc. helps private pay and Medicaid clients pursue independent lifestyles in the comfort and familiarity of home. An innovative leader i…

In today’s episode of Help Choose Home, we welcome Steven Landers, MD, MPH, president and CEO of Visiting Nurse Association Health Group. With a history of bringing care to people for over 100 years, VNA Health Group is the largest nonprofit provider of community home health and hospice services in New Jersey. VNA Health Group also provides in-home…

In today’s episode of Help Choose Home, we welcome Andrea Cohen, a social entrepreneur dedicated to transforming the way care is delivered to seniors at home. As the Founder and CEO of HouseWorks, her vision crystalized over 25 years ago when she took care of both her parents and made an unwavering commitment to redefine what it means to age. As an…

In today’s episode of Help Choose Home, we welcome Rosalind Marshall-Jones, CEO and founder of Jacksonville’s Best Caregivers. Roz has been in the caregiving field since 2009, assisting families both in Jacksonville and outside of her immediate service area through virtual caregiving support. Helping families navigate the caregiving journey is one’…

In today’s episode of Help Choose Home, we welcome Cheryl Hammons, CFE, CSA, strategic partnership director for Veterans Care Coordination, a business that helps qualified U.S. veterans and their surviving spouses access aid and attendance benefits provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Veterans Aid and Attendance provides monthly payments…

During today’s episode of Help Choose Home, we welcome Jeff Bevis, founder and CEO of FirstLight Home Care, which provides non-medical home care through its franchises in 35 states, plus the District of Columbia. Jeff is passionate about providing the highest level of service in the industry, through client satisfaction, caregiver retention and low…

In recent months, the value of care in the home has become more and more apparent to many families. As COVID-19 has swept through nursing homes and other facilities, older adults have been especially hard hit by the virus. Because of the high rates of infection in care facilities, many families have looked for alternatives for care for a senior lov…

End-of-life care is a difficult topic of conversation for most people, a conversation that frequently comes too late, during times of crisis, or the decisions are left to the family to make on behalf of a loved one. According to Jan Jones, RN, BSN, recently retired CEO of The Elizabeth Hospice in San Diego, California, having conversations and outl…

John Olajide, founder and CEO of Dallas-based Axxess, the leading home health care technology company in North America, has a vision of making quality home health care options accessible to people all over the world. This vision is integrated into everything John does and shapes the corporate culture of Axxess. In today’s episode of Help Choose Hom…

According to a 2018 AARP survey, 80% of adults over the age of 50 want to remain in their homes and communities as they age. For those in the home care industry, these findings come as no surprise. Home not only represents familiarity, but comfort and security as well. And during the pandemic, home has also been seen as a safe haven for older adult…

The medical and healthcare landscapes are vast and overwhelming, and as a consumer, it’s easy to feel like an anonymous face in the crowd. Dr. Michael Fratkin, CEO and founder of ResolutionCare, has been working to improve the care experience for people for most of his career, and founded ResolutionCare based on the idea that people are more than t…

One of the advantages of home health care is the ability to not only serve clients in their homes, but to provide care for a variety of health needs. Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, professional home care services have been on the front lines, and from what our guest, Donna DeBlois, RN, BSW, MSB, MBA, AHCH, CEO and president of MaineHealth Car…

Now, more than ever, care at home is being looked at as not only a viable solution to help an older loved one remain in a familiar setting, but also as a way to ensure the health and safety of a population that is at heightened risk for complications from COVID-19. Understanding the important role of home care during the pandemic, in today’s episod…

As we learn to navigate life during the coronavirus pandemic, you may be wondering how home health care options have been impacted. Are you a family caregiver who has utilized or is considering using in-home care? Are you considering moving your parents out of a senior living facility into your own home, but know you will still need caregiving assi…

By Merrily Orsini

By Merrily Orsini

Many physicians face a conundrum. While their extensive years of schooling and training emphasize providing care, treatments, and intervention in order to maintain life, the truth is, death is inevitable and a reality we all must face. According to Dr. Timothy Ihrig, a palliative care specialist and chief medical officer at Crossroads Hospice, beca…

Although death is an experience that we all share, it is a topic that is largely taboo, and for which people are often wholly unprepared. Barbara Karnes, RN, an award-winning end of life educator and author, is working to change that taboo. According to Karnes, 90% of end of life care work is education. From educating the doctors and nurses to educ…

As those in the home healthcare industry know, the elder population is growing exponentially, as is their need for care. One of the more innovative programs available to help seniors age in place, Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly, has actually been around for more than 50 years. Shawn Bloom, President and CEO of the national PACE Assoc…

According to Betty Greaver, RN, LMT, it’s a common myth that aging means a person gains weight, has chronic pain and can't continue living a productive life. Rather, Greaver says, and research shows, there are simple lifestyle changes that people can make in order to remain active and have the capacity to enjoy life to its fullest, no matter what a…

Paul Kusserow, President and Chief Executive Officer for Amedisys, the largest independent provider of home health, hospice and personal care services in the United States, recognizes the growing pains and opportunities associated with change in the home health industry. In this Help Choose Home interview, Kusserow highlights two changes in the hom…

It’s an ongoing struggle for those in the home care industry–how do we better communicate the value and benefits of health care at home? For Tim Rogers, who serves as President and CEO for both the Association for Home & Hospice Care of North Carolina and the South Carolina Home Care & Hospice Association, most of his 27-year professional career ha…

Tarrah Lowry, president and CEO of Sangre de Cristo Hospice and Palliative Care in Pueblo, Colorado, emphasizes the importance of reaching out to hospice early and discussing goals of care during each health care interaction – from home health and palliative care to hospice care. The goals at each stage may change, but having these conversations ea…

In this episode of Help Choose Home, we'll hear from Jamie Summerfelt, M.Ed, MSPT, president and CEO of Visiting Nurse Association (VNA) in Omaha, Nebraska. With more than 28 years of healthcare at home experience, Summerfelt is passionate about home care. Harnessing the power of community relationships is something that he sees as integral to the …

If there is one thing Joel Theisen, BSN, RN is passionate about, it’s developing proactive, preventative long-term care for older adults. Theisen is chief executive officer and founder of Lifesprk, an innovative home care company based in Minnesota that is focused on bringing Theisen’s passion to life. According to Theisen, home care and health car…

In this Help Choose Home podcast you'll hear from Luke James, chief strategy officer of home health and hospice at Encompass Health, as he discusses the ways in which predictive analytics are both informing home care strategies for clients as well as predicting effective client care in the future.By Merrily Orsini

With more than 20 years of experience in the home care industry, Wanda Coley has combined her deep knowledge of finance, business development, payor contracting and post-acute strategies to become a highly-regarded expert in the field. Join us for this episode of Help Choose Home where Coley explains why she believes that nothing is more beneficial…

In this episode of Help Choose Home, Taney Hammill, CEO of the Aging Life Care Association and the National Academy of Certified Care Managers, explains what it is that geriatric care managers, or life care professionals, do and offers advice about at what point in the process an aging life care professional should be contacted.…

Every day, companies and organizations generate copious amounts of data. “Big data” though isn’t so much about the amount of data generated, but rather, what a company or organization does with the data. In analyzing data, businesses can use those insights to save money, to target marketing and advertising dollars, or, in the case of home health ca…