A “Meet in the Middle” Solution


Dear Friends and Families,

When it comes to care of non medical and medical services, the safety of the client  is of very high importance.  As it happens, this week is Patient Safety Awareness week, sponsored by the National Patient Safety Foundation (NPSF).  Some of the safety concerns of the NPSF are: improper dosing of medication, infections acquired during medical care, falls, hospital readmissions, and diagnostic errors (which often occur due to miscommunication).

One of the reasons people choose in-home care is to promote their own safety, or the safety of their loved one.  Knowing that your loved one or your patient is home alone with no safety precautions can be scary.  While people may insist that they will “do fine” by themselves, even the most attentive person can put their own safety at risk.  Oftentimes knowing that someone will call or visit to check-in on an aging or recovering loved one or patient makes all the difference to a family caregiver or nurse.  For this reason, SYNERGY HomeCare created the Courtesy Care Program.

Courtesy Care is a great “meet in the middle” care solution for people who need a little bit of help, but do not necessarily need prolonged visits.  Sometimes a 15 minute visit to a home will let a caregiver remind a person about taking their medication, make sure the home is free of safety hazards, and talk to the person about how they feel.  Likewise, caregivers can also provide phone calls to ensure a client’s ongoing well being.  These short, low-impact visits and calls can provide a safer life for the client and peace of mind for family caregivers.

There are many ways to prevent accidents and injuries and promote safety. Of course, we also offer safety advice on the SYNERGY HomeCare blog. I wish everyone a safe and secure March!

Sincerely,

Peter Tourian