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Caring for elders at home...just got easier

Intel health Guide (Carmel, IN) -- What if you could take the hospital home with you? Not just the nurses and physical and occupational therapists, but the daily frequent monitoring of your vital signs such as heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen levels, and weight? And what if you could have a systematic program of exercise videos to watch that were tailored to your needs so that you could work on your exercises on the days when your physical therapist does not visit?

New technology
There’s been a revolution during the last eight years in home healthcare telemedicine technology, connecting a monitor in the patient’s home through a phone line to nurses who monitor vital statistics 365 days a year. Nightingale Home Healthcare, headquartered in Carmel, Indiana, with offices in ten states, has been a leader in using cutting-edge technology for its patients since 2002.

Recently, Nightingale introduced the Tele-Rehab program to their in-home clients. Tele-Rehab is the newest equipment from Intel, the maker of the famous Pentium processor. Under prescription of their physician, Nightingale’s Tele-Rehab program installs the Intel Health Guide in patients’ homes after uploading exercises specific to their needs.

After her knee surgery, Judy Miler of Indiana loves the Nightingale Tele-Rehab program and her newly installed Intel Health Guide. Judy says, “The Intel Health Guide made it easier for me to do my exercises because I could see an actual person showing me every time. I was able to recover much more quickly with the motivation and accuracy of my Health Guide.”

Physician Endorsed
Physicians are excited about the Nightingale Tele-Rehab Program too. Judy’s orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Johnson of Carmel, Indiana, prescribed the Health Guide for Judy after her knee surgery and says, “Nightingale’s technology is on the cutting edge. I have never seen anything like the Intel Health Guide before. It’s terrific for my patients after surgery so they can stay on track with their rehabilitation program and get better faster.”

An important trend with seniors is the much-advertised reverse mortgage. While once in some disrepute, these loans are now offered through major financial institutions and backed by the federal government. In theory, individuals sixty-two years of age or older may qualify for a reverse mortgage to help with living expenses if they have equity in their home. Individuals or couples may take fixed monthly payments from the bank or receive all of their funds in a lump sum. The only requirement is that an individual must live in his or her home in order to continue qualifying for the mortgage. Otherwise, the reverse mortgage becomes fully due and payable within a matter of months. So, reverse mortgage funds cannot be used to pay for Mom or Dad in long-term custodial care in a skilled nursing facility or if they move into an assisted living facility
The genius of the Tele-Rehab Program is that the Health Guide can be customized to the individual needs of each patient. No two Health Guides are the same. If you have had hip surgery, you don’t have to run through all of the exercises on knee and shoulder surgery before you get the ones that are right for you. In addition, the patient’s use of the system whether one, two, or three times a day is monitored by Nightingale skilled nurses every day of the year. If the patient has not done his or her exercises that day, Nightingale’s nurses can contact the patient’s physician and let the doctor know whether the patient is progressing. This immediate feedback allows for helpful intervention; the physician and Nightingale’s physical therapist can talk to the patient about the importance of doing the daily exercises to strengthen their body.

A Columbia University Study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association this spring, demonstrated that the mortality rates for patients who went home with the services of a home healthcare agency after hospitalization was significantly lower than the mortality rates of individuals who went from the hospital to skilled nursing facilities. It’s quantified: Great home healthcare can save lives.

Most families want to stay in their homes as long as possible, and fortunately, advances in telemetry technology allow that to happen. Nightingale’s Tele-Rehab Program is an example of that technology.

Nightingale Home Healthcare, whose mission is “We are 100 percent patient-focused,” is humbled and honored to be able to be the first Home Healthcare agency in the United States to offer the Tele-Rehab Program with the Intel Health Guide. Nightingale serves the states of Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, California, Nevada, Texas, Arizona, Ohio, Florida, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts. The Nightingale Tele-Rehab program is available in each state. For more information, visit Nightingale’s website at www.HomeCareForYou.com, or call 317-334-7777