Category: !CAI

Meet Bonnie Kessler, a Coordinator on our Client Services team. She joined our team in January of this year and is already an important part of our Care Family. As a Coordinator, Bonnie helps assess our clients’ needs and makes sure they get the care they deserve. We asked Bonnie to answer a few questions about herself and her role in the company. Take a few moments to get to know Bonnie a little bit better.

What is your favorite thing about your job?
Helping patients and/or their family members navigate the next steps in a difficult and stressful time. Knowing every day I help at least one person makes me love what I do.

What is one professional skill that you are working on?
Prioritizing and time-management.

What is one song you have completely memorized?
Every Taylor Swift song!

What’s your favorite TV guilty pleasure?
Watching old music videos on YouTube.

What’s your hidden talent?
I am extremely good at jump-roping. 

In ten words or less, what profession, other than your current, would you choose to do and why?
Travel agent – so I could travel the world!

What is a hobby that you would love to do?
Would love to learn how to sew and be good at it!

What is something (either professionally or personally) that you are proud of?
Received the top store manager award 3 out of 5 years working for Express.

If you could add one thing to the company office, what would it be?
Massage chairs.

In ten words or less, what is the best advice you were ever given?
Learn to stop and smell the roses.

Meet Danny Martin, Senior Advisor on our Client Services team. We asked Danny to answer a few questions about himself and his role in the company. Take a few moments to get to know Danny a little bit better.

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Describe your role day-to-day.

I am often the first person inbound callers speak to. Through our thoughtful conversations, I am able to determine their unique needs and help them determine a plan of action, leading them through their often difficult time.

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Why did you choose to work for our company?

I wanted to help people and be of service.

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What is your favorite thing about your job?

My favorite thing about this job is getting to relieve a small part of the stress and pain that is often felt by people in need of assistance.

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How long have you been working for the Care Advantage, Inc. family of brands?

3.5 years

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What are the top 3 reasons you would recommend our company to others?

We are sincerely caring, swift and thorough.

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What motivates you at work?

I am motivated by a combination of daily, metrics-driven goals as well as my desire to be of assistance to others.

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Who or what has influenced you the most in your professional career?

Tina Bell

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If you could add one thing to the company office, what would it be?

A client services administrator.

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What do you bring to the team and how would you describe your performing style?

I bring a calming interaction for clients as well as meticulous attention to detail and strong work ethic.

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Do you have a favorite quote or motto that you live by?

“Luck is a residue of design.”

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What is your go-to karaoke song?

Bon Jovi-Dead or Alive

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If you could invite three figures to a dinner party, who would you invite?

Abraham Lincoln, Charles Babbage and Socrates

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What is a hobby that you would love to do?

Gardening

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Favorite TV Guilty pleasure to watch?

Ghost Files

I strongly believe that people who work in healthcare have a calling. A “why,” if you will. It is impossible to have your heartstrings tugged at, deal with family dynamics, and do duties outside the box to help patients and families if your heart isn’t in the right place.

I have two “whys:” my mom and my daddy. 

In 2008, my mom was diagnosed with cancer in May and passed in October. I had the honor of seeing how hospice and personal care work together so beautifully! My only regret is not knowing enough about hospice to have gotten them involved much sooner in her journey. The caregivers gave Daddy back his freedom to attend Lion’s Club meeting and church on Sundays, knowing that Mom’s personal care needs – which he already struggled to provide – were attended to. When I visited, I was able to be “the daughter” again instead of cleaning toilets and trying to tell my parents what to do. That is a tough spot for any child to be in, when we have to become “the parent” to our parent. A third party alleviates that stress and allows the family to be just that. 

In 2014, Daddy took a tumble in the bathroom overnight. He was found the next morning by my sister, who just happened to stop by. He had surgery due to several broken vertebrae, got pneumonia during his inpatient rehab stay, and passed within days. We learned the hard way just how devastating an otherwise innocuous “fall” can be. 

I came to Care Advantage in May 2017, with the passion to “pay it forward.” I love educating families about what services in the home will allow their loved one to age in place to live out their retirement years the way they dreamed of. Because of my experiences with Mom and Daddy, I speak with families about the continuum of care in the home – from home health to palliative and hospice, and how personal care integrates with those disciplines for far better support. I wish my family had had someone like me to educate us on all of the options! 

Falls can be devastating, and far too many families underestimate the importance of prevention. I know we allowed Daddy’s stubbornness to get in the way of him having the extra help he should have had. While I cannot go back and redo things, I do often wonder if things had been different, if he would still be here today. Since life doesn’t give us do-overs, educating others about the risks like falls that can create premature crisis for a family, is my way of trying to make it right. 

In my time outside of work, I can be found most weekends at Smith Mountain Lake on the water in a 1973 KingsCraft houseboat that my husband and I totally renovated from the aluminum studs upward. And I am an honored furbaby momma to a 5 pound Pomeranian named Sazzie. I am a graduate of James Madison University with a BA in English with a concentration in communications, as well as a BA in theatre and dance. I have held some amazing positions over the years, but I have worked the longest and been the most rewarded in my heart during my seven years at Care Advantage! It has always been important for me to give back to my community, which was instilled by Mom and Daddy. I have been actively involved with the American Heart Association over the years, and have served on boards for the Junior League of the Roanoke Valley, the Square Society for Center in the Square, and Mountain View Humane Society, to name a few. I am currently in my ninth year on the board of the American Cancer Society, and in my fifth year planning their annual Cattle Baron’s Ball fundraiser in the Roanoke Valley. We are always seeking sponsors and other partners, if anyone is interested!

Every May, the Administration for Community Living leads the nation’s observance of Older Americans Month. This is a time to recognize past and present older Americans and their contributions to society, especially those who have defended our country. It’s also a time for highlighting aging trends, and reaffirming commitments to serving the older adults in our communities.

When I started my research for this month’s blog, my husband asked me what I was working on. When I told him about Older Americans Month, he looked at me and said “Aren’t you one of them?” Ha ha, honey, good one!

But that’s just it, we are all becoming Older Americans! Thinking about it now is what will allow us all to age in place and remain healthy in our retirement years! So this month we are recognizing a lifetime of hard work, devotion to family, and commitment to the community that has laid the foundation for the country we are today.

Did you know that in 1963, there were only 17 million living Americans that had reached their 65^th birthday? Today, we hear about people celebrating their 100^th birthday, and that is becoming more and more common. Also in 1963, a third of older adults lived in poverty, and close to half were without any health insurance. Changes were needed! In April 1963, a meeting was held between President John F Kennedy and members of the National Council of Senior Citizens, leading to the designation of May as Senior Citizens Month – now Older Americans Month.

The goals behind this designation are what led to the passing of Medicare to deliver affordable, quality health care to our seniors. It also strengthened Social Security, which is the bedrock of American retirement. The ultimate goal was to raise our older adults out of poverty and extend lifespans of those who had worked hard their whole lives. Certainly, there is still more work to do to see these benefits continue! We are all reading the articles expressing concerns over the continuation of Social Security as well as Medicare. But no older adult should lie in bed at night wondering how they are going to pay for life-saving prescriptions or to put food on their table.

Each year, every President has issued a formal proclamation in late April or early May, requesting all citizens pay tribute to the Older Americans in their community. This year, President Biden delivered the proclamation on Saturday, May 4^th. This year’s theme is “Powered by Connection,” recognizing the impact that social connections and relationships have on our health and happiness. As we all learned during the COVID-19 pandemic, loneliness and isolation definitely impact our mental health! Interactions support independence and allow aging in place.

This month, support the older adults in your life and help them to get connected! Here are some ideas:

1)     Invite them to community events, social clubs, and volunteer opportunities.

2)     Encourage businesses and organizations to offer mentorships and peer-to-peer support led by older adults and the younger members.

3)     Help set up transportation services for them so that they can overcome obstacles to ensuring social interactions.

4)     Take a look at the older loved ones in your family and see what changes could really make a difference in their overall well-being.

Interestingly, more than half of Americans aged 65 and above are online! That means they are connecting in our world of social media and staying current. Have you helped an aging loved one in your family do so? If not, help them set up a smart phone or tablet, or purchase them a voice-activated home assistant like Alexa!

Only 3.6% of older Americans are in nursing homes. That’s wonderful news! We are definitely seeing a shift in how people age in place, and that’s the beauty of options like in-home personal care (by Care Advantage, of course!) and today’s fancy senior living communities. These options allow people to remain vibrant and active, and truly live their best life in those golden years!

I will end this on another positive note: older adults regularly get a good night’s sleep and 9 out of 10 manage their stress better than they did in their younger years. There is hope for us all!

Happy Older Americans Month, everyone!

May is known for celebrating mothers, but did you know May also celebrates nurses?

National Nurses Week is celebrated annually from May 6th-12th. Nurses Week was designated to recognize the contributions that nurses make in our communities. May 6th is National Nurses Day and May 12th is the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing.

The idea for Nurses Week began in 1953, when Dorothy Sutherland proposed a Nurse Day to the White House. This holiday was never officially proclaimed, but in 1974, the U.S. established its own National Nurses Week after the International Council of Nurses declared May 12th as International Nurse Day. In 1990, the American Nurses Association petitioned to extend the recognition to a week-long celebration, which was granted.

Nurses Week is an opportunity to show love and appreciation for the people who take care of the sick, injured and dying. From neonatal nurses who welcome newborns into the world to hospice nurses that provide comfort to patients in the final stages of life, nurses play a crucial role in the medical world.

In fact, nurses make up the largest part of the healthcare workforce today. They are the primary health providers for patients in hospitals, and they give the most long-term care in the nation.

My own mother dreamed of being a nurse. As a child of 1929, dreams were quite a bit different for her than they are today! Women would not often have a career AND a marriage. Mom was in nursing school when she and Daddy decided to get married. She had to make a choice, and she chose Daddy, giving up her dream in healthcare. She volunteered at the hospitals wherever they lived, and she was heavily involved in charities that supported children and older adults. She would have made a wonderful nurse!

Can you imagine having to make that choice? I am sure she often wondered “what if” she had chosen nursing instead. Of course, I’m glad she chose Daddy! And I definitely inherited her passion for helping others.

I love working with the nurses here at Care Advantage! In 2023, Care Advantage employed more than 15,000 professional caregivers and 200 nurses. With that strong clinical team, we served more than 18,000 patients! Our clinical team has grown, especially since the Covid pandemic. Unfortunately, the pandemic was a time when many nurses elsewhere were not given the support they needed to do their jobs properly. Our nurses were given more support, not less, and were a solution to so many families’ biggest worries.

A Care Advantage nurse spends their days developing care plans for our new patient admissions, answering questions and concerns of families, guiding our caregivers, and visiting other patients to update care plans and make sure things are going well. As close companions and observers, our nurses are also in the best position to notice potential side effects from our clients’ medications. Because they put so much effort into our patients, they are the driving force behind our outcomes and our first line of defense against preventable hospital readmissions.

We have implemented a care scale system that helps our clinical team assess additional needs for our patients. Bringing in partners is what keeps those patients safe at home and improves their quality of life! We are the poster child for helping patients age in place with the continuum of home healthcare services we provide every step of the way.

We celebrate our nurses all year long, but in honor of Nurses Week, we provided a special selection of “swag” on our company store that nurses could select for themselves. Hopefully when they carry or wear these items, they are reminded just how special we think they are!

Join me in around of applause for nurses everywhere, but especially for our Care Advantage nurses! You truly are the heartbeat of healthcare!

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Hospital readmissions (and how to reduce them) is a topic on the forefront of everyone’s minds. They have become an outcome in healthcare, with particular interest paid to their frequency, causes, patients’ readmittance likelihood, and which hospitals are more likely to have a high rate of readmissions. Higher readmission rates may suggest the patient received ineffective treatment during past hospitalizations. The focus on reducing hospital readmissions for Medicare beneficiaries has expanded to include post-acute care providers. Skilled nursing facilities and home health agencies are now financially incentivized to ensure effective transitions and care coordination to minimize readmissions within 30 days of discharge. This means their Medicare payments may be reduced if a patient they care for is readmitted to the hospital shortly after entering their care.

Patients with the highest readmission risk rates are those that have significant comorbid conditions (patients with cancer, pneumonia, cardiovascular diseases, etc.). They also include patients with frequent falls and emergency room visits or those that live alone or with little support in the home. Identifying these patients up front and providing a top-heavy plan of care in place is essential.

The continuum of care – our practice of partnering multiple disciplines for a patient upon discharge – alleviates those readmissions and ensures better outcomes. A client’s personal care can become that much more effective by adding home health care, palliative care, or hospice care services. A comprehensive and coordinated team is better able to notice signs of worsening symptoms such as potential infections and pain management issues to advise proper treatment. Identifying early signs of UTIs, for example, can eliminate a visit to the emergency room by getting the patient into the patient’s primary care physician before the infection worsens.

If you have seen our care outcomes, you know we’ve focused heavily on this topic. Care Advantage, Inc. boasts a 26% reduction in emergency room utilization and a 52% reduction in inpatient utilization compared to our peer baseline group. Our highly-trained caregivers and personalized clinical model have a proven track record of improving health outcomes, reducing emergency room visits, and decreasing hospital readmissions.

Personal care WORKS for alleviating readmissions! Let Care Advantage, Inc. be part of your discharge plan and help us reduce readmission rates!

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Happy Social Workers Month!

What is a Social Worker and why is there an entire month dedicated to honoring them? Well, let me tell you!

A social worker is a very special person who helps people in challenging situations. Whether these people are children or adults, or even groups of people (like families), social workers are a valuable commodity for them. Think of a social worker as your own personal advocate—someone who supports you and works with you to find community resources to help you.

Many social workers specialize in helping a certain population of people or working in a specific setting. There are social workers in schools, hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, long term care communities, senior centers, mental health clinics, substance abuse clinics, the military, and more! They help relieve people’s suffering, fight for social justice, and improve both lives and communities.

In the Care Advantage world, most of the social workers we encounter are focused on patient care and support for older adults. These healthcare social workers help patients and families understand diagnosis, what it means for the future, and what support there may be. They utilize resources that will help you – from making referrals for medical equipment or finding support groups to connecting with businesses that can help you modify your home or lifestyle to live more independently, safely, and happily. If you have ever had a loved one in a hospital or skilled nursing facility, a “discharge planner” is often the social worker that helps your family navigate next steps– whether it is planning the transfer to another facility for continued rehabilitation, or planning the discharge home with agency partners that provide home health or palliative/hospice services and personal care (such as Care Advantage!).

Social work wasn’t always a formal profession. Some version of it has been around for centuries, but it was usually a volunteer position for helping others. The profession itself originated in 19^th Century England, based on casework, poverty relief and social action. Today, social workers hold a bachelor’s or master’s degree in social work through a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. Some states or settings may require special licenses. It is best described as a career with meaning, action, diversity, satisfaction, and a variety of options. These professionals use psychology and sociology to solve social issues and improve individual lives. That is not an easy task! It can be emotionally draining, require long hours, and pay entirely too little. Yet, these amazing individuals strive to improve the quality of life and advocate on the behalf of so many people. Many social workers advance their careers to become executive directors of nonprofit organizations, professors, corporate leaders, and even members of Congress. Talk about a background with lots of opportunity!

Social Work Month was introduced in 1963 by the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) in order to uplift and celebrate the valuable contributions social workers make to our society. Social  Workers Month became an annual March observation in 1984, signed into law by President Ronald Reagan. There are annual themes based on social issues that the NASW wants to bring to light, such as HIV/AIDS, children in poverty, racial and ethnic harmony, and aging parents.

The 2024 theme is “Empowering Social Workers!” This year, NASW wants to highlight the need for the government, regulators and employers to work to improve pay for social workers as a way of investing in addressing social issues.

A single social worker can influence an entire life. I think of them as real-life superheroes. They should have to wear capes to work!

Join me in saying THANK YOU to every social worker everywhere!

We would like to recognize the efforts of our newly founded IDEA Council! IDEA stands for Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility; this council was created to make sure that every workplace in the Care Advantage, Inc.’s Brand Family adheres to the values of diversity and mutual respect that have served us and our communities for so long. The following employees have been selected to serve on this council:

• Brandi Bowman – Recruitment & Employment Specialist, Wytheville

• Min Cho – Recruitment & Employment Specialist, Youngs Home Care

• Jaron Clay (Council Facilitator) – Vice President of Integrations, Corporate

• Nancy Gallucci – Client Services Advisor, Capital City Nurses

• April Givens – Home Care Specialist, Mechanicsville

• Melanie Hill – Director of Healthcare Services, Care Advantage Skilled

• Olivia Jones (Executive Sponsor) – Executive Vice President of Operations, Corporate

• Ajee McLaughlin – Recruitment & Employment Specialist, Columbia

• Latoya Randolph – Talent Acquisition Specialist, High Acuity Team

• Andrea Sykes – Scheduling & Resource Coordinator, High Acuity Team

• Claire Talebian – Director of Operations, National Home Healthcare

After surveying our companies, we’ve identified the top three priorities our Council will address in the coming weeks. We’ve formed three groups to concentrate on the following issues:

• Improving Our Career Ladder – a workgroup led by Latoya Randolph with support from Min Cho, Brandi Bowman, and Nancy Gallucci (and the HR Department) are working on developing a formal mentorship program open to all employees at every level of the company to make the next rung on their personal career ladder visible and attainable. It will serve to improve transparency into opportunities for internal promotion for all.

• Honoring all employees’ heritages and traditions – this workgroup, led by Claire Talebian with assistance from Andrea Sykes and April Givens, is looking to see how our ever-expanding company can celebrate the diversity of all our team members through a thorough review of our holidays, activities and events, and social media.

• Sharing Best Practices – our survey feedback found our Care Advantage West region scored significantly higher than all other regions in their positive feedback regarding our survey questions. Brandi Bowman will work with CAW leadership to try and figure out what is being done well in this region and share these strategies with the rest of the company.

These are not all the topics the IDEA Council hopes to address in the upcoming months – merely the first three. We appreciate our survey respondents’ frank feedback on several other topics, including accessibility issues at multiple locations, and we will work to address these as well in upcoming meetings and look forward to sharing our progress with you.

If you have feedback, concerns, or are interested in joining or supporting the IDEA Council, please send us an email at [email protected]. We look forward to hearing from you. Thanks to the council members for a fantastic inaugural meeting—we can’t wait to see the progress from these initiatives!

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The holidays this year are shaping up to be the most “normal” we have had in a long time. Now that vaccines are readily available, we are able to gather with family and spend time with our older loved ones that we may not have seen in a while.  We are all so excited to gather, whether with family or friends, and enjoy a nice meal together. This is a special time of year, and we hope you are looking forward to spending it with your loved ones.

The coming season is also a great time to check in on older loved ones you may not have seen for some time. Whether they come to you, or you travel to them, there are some specific signs to keep an eye out for as they could indicate a need for more care or support.

Red Flags for Seniors:

1.      Changes in their home environment

We want to be looking for things like scorched cookware (food forgotten on the stove?), spoiled food in the refrigerator, or the space being generally messier and less organized.

2.      Sudden weight loss or gain

This is usually a sign of a health-related issue, lack of mobility, and/or decrease in appetite.

3.      Unpaid bills

Is your loved one forgetting about their regular payments? Late notices can indicate memory issues or even financial struggle.

4.      Physical Frailty

It is normal for folks to slow down a bit as they age, but pay attention if your loved one is having trouble with day-to-day movement such as climbing stairs or lack of balance while walking.

5.      Mood changes

Sudden depression, anxiety, or even hyperactivity can indicate a medication issue or general lack of well-being. We want to gently discuss what may be bothering them to see how we can provide support.

6.      Medication misuse

Take a look at any regular medications, you should be able count the pills and check that meds are taken daily if needed and at the specified times of day.

While we want to be sure our loved ones are safe and sound, try not to be patronizing about checking in. It’s important to protect the dignity of older adults and remember that they are entitled to live however they desire, so long it is safe. Additionally, they may feel embarrassed or self-conscious about any sign of decline. Stay away from directing your older adult, telling them what they should be doing, and try general questions such as:

·        “How have you been feeling lately?”

·        “I’d love to help out while I’m here, is there anything you need done?”

·        “I see your medications are set out; do you feel like they have been helping?”

If any of the signs you notice feel concerning, please reach out to your local Care Advantage office. We provide licensed and bonded caregivers who engage in disease-specific training and are often able to staff a shift within 24 hours. Utilizing home care does not have to mean giving up your autonomy or dignity. We recognize and respect that caregiving is intimate work and we are confident we can find a great match to support your loved one. From bathing and dressing to offering a listening ear and transporting to appointments, we will have you covered!

Care Advantage exists to lift up every community we serve, and this Veterans Day we would like to recognize and thank the men and women who served in any branch of our military. Your commitment every day to maintain safety and security, your sacrifice, and your bravery sets an example to us all and we appreciate your time.

To show our appreciation, we do our best to ensure that veterans are provided for post-service. Our incredible caregivers are able to provide a wide range of services tailored to assist the needs of our veterans. In 2021, Care Advantage served over 700 veterans in across four states; Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and Washington, D.C.

We are extremely proud to say that we have formed strong working relationships with Veteran’s Affairs and Veteran’s Aide organizations across our footprint. Through our extensive network, we have been able to coordinate care for Veterans when they need it most.

Caregivers are trained to assist with transfers and safe mobility, medication reminders, meal prepping, and companionship. We know how to help veterans keep their independence, while receiving the care they need and deserve. We are always looking to serve those who served our country.

Our mission to uplift our communities and veterans doesn’t stop at caregiving, we also look to provide work opportunities to our veterans in a variety of roles across the Care Advantage, Inc. brand. Here is what some of our Care Family says:

“I chose to work with Care Advantage because I love to help others and Care Advantage takes care of some of Virginia’s very own veterans that have retired or been discharged from the military from serving their country.” Tyana Dixon, Army, Care Advantage Newport News – Scheduler

“I missed being part of a united on-mission fun team and when job searching, I found Capital City Nurses. I saw they cared, had a personal touch and were on mission to help their patients age in place with grace and dignity.” Dawn Warner, Army, Capital City Nurses – Clinical Nurse Manager

“Joining Care Advantage has been a very good experience.” Jody Underwood, Navy, Care Advantage Gretna – Home Health Supervisor

“Being part of this company, where our common goal is to provide excellent in-home care to all of our clients, reminds me of my experience in the United States Air Force where we all had to work together.” JP Byrum, Airforce, Care Advantage Inc – Client Services Manager