Special Section: Senior Living
October 2018
TIME AT HOME
Time At Home – Carmel Elder In-Home Care Service Gives Your Loved Ones More…Time At Home
Writer Ann Cinnamon Photography Laura Arick
As we and our loved ones age, we have lots of things to consider. Do we need help with care? Should we move into assisted living or a nursing home, or can we stay at home? Surveys show that most older people want to stay in their homes as long as possible. Getting outside help in the home can make that possible and be one of the most economical ways to deal with elder care.
Lori Fetters, the founder and executive director of Time at Home, an in-home care company in Carmel, says home care agencies are an effective, safe alternative for seniors, people who need assistance and their families. She and her staff have been helping to keep older people in their homes for more than a decade now and do it with both sympathy and empathy. “We have been there with our loved ones and friends. We understand many of the decisions and activities of daily living (ADLs) that need to be accomplished. Time At Home specializes in caring wrapped in dignity,” says Fetters.
Often family members are the care providers for their older loved ones, but it can be very stressful, especially if the person needing care lives too far away. So, they face the challenges of long-distance monitoring of loved ones or admitting them to a facility, such as assisted living or a nursing home. Fetters says that when family members take on the care of a loved one, it can be very difficult for that person to work, take care of their own family and other responsibilities.
She says that instead of receiving care in a nursing home, assisted living or other care facility, her clients receive assistance with ADLs in the familiar surroundings of their own home on a one-on-one basis, instead of multiple clients to one caregiver. “This provides for more engagement of clients due to a caregiver being able to concentrate solely on them, allows clients to remain in surroundings they are comfortable and familiar with and provides peace of mind to family members,” adds Fetters.
Time at Home partners with families to determine the optimal amount of time to schedule a caregiver to meet a client’s specific needs. This could range from one day a week for a few hours to full-time care. The amount of service can vary depending on the client’s need for assistance and the availability of family members to provide care. There’s no long-term contract with Time at Home, Inc. whose services can be utilized as long as needed or on a short-term basis. And rates are very competitive.
For clients that require more than non-medical services, Fetters points out that Time At Home will partner with home healthcare agencies that can provide skilled care, such as nursing, wound care, physical, occupational and speech therapy, pain management and disease education. This type of care is often needed following a hospital stay.
In addition to providing caregivers, Time at Home can address technology solutions, minor home adjustments (adding a handrail to the tub area, for example) and general information that can make a loved one more secure and independent in their own home. These solutions could include devices like an emergency alert system that can summon help with the push of a button, getting slip-resistant rugs, labeling dates on foods and many other areas that are of concern to the client or the family.
Fetters lists many other services that her in-home agency can assist with, such as Alzheimer’s or dementia care, tracking and reporting a client’s condition, performing light housekeeping and laundry, preparing meals, transporting clients to and from appointments and social events, running errands, helping with bathing, dressing and hygiene, helping with medications, providing live-in or overnight care and providing companionship and emotional support.
Fetters has a degree from Purdue and an MBA from IU. She is a member of the Society for Human Resource Management and Indiana Association for Home and Hospice Care, and she takes her business very personally. Having grown up in a large family, she knows the positive impact of having many hands to pitch in and help when needed. It has guided both her business and personal philosophy.
The staff, including those that have been with Fetters for as many as 15 years, has gone through rigorous screening and receives continual training to best serve clients.
Dr. Stephen Kruse has had several great experiences with Time at Home. “I have had Lori and her staff take care of me several times on a short-term basis. She provides top-notch care with empathy and understanding. On each occasion, my recovery was quicker than expected with 100% recovery. I attribute this to the care that was provided,” he says.
Chris Gilbody, who is an RN, has also worked with Time at Home. “I have observed Lori and her staff working with clients. They are completely professional with a wonderfully caring attitude. They are clear and concise with the client and family members. What a wonderful group of people,” she says.
Free home care assessments are available by appointment by calling 317-624-2402. For more information, visit tahcare.com or email [email protected]. Calls are answered 24/7, and caregiver services are provided 24/7 by appointment. Address: 600 E. Carmel Drive Suite 268, Carmel, IN 46032
Copper Trace On the Leading Edge of Short-Term Rehab
Writer // John Cinnamon • Photography // Laura Arick and submitted
Everyone knows the frustration of recovering from an injury. From a sprained ankle to a broken arm, it feels like forever before you can perform normal tasks again, like walking the dog or tying your shoes. Now imagine it’s an elderly loved one who has suffered a broken hip or a stroke. To them, the road to recovery can seem interminable. But there is one senior living community in the area that is making navigating that road a little bit easier: Copper Trace, an assisted living community and rehabilitation center at 1250 W. 146th St. in Westfield.
Part of the CarDon & Associates group of Family-first Senior Living communities, Copper Trace is on the cutting edge of rehabilitation programs with the addition of an in-house physiatrist. Teresa Deveny, RN, Director of Nursing at Copper Trace, said that although physiatry has been around a long time in hospitals and acute rehab settings, “It’s fairly new to skilled nursing. That’s where Copper Trace and CarDon are leading the way, recognizing that there is a need for the pain management and the overall guidance of rehabilitation in the skilled nursing world that physiatry provides,” she says.
The term ‘physiatrist’ (pronounced fizz – EYE – uh – tryst) may be new to you, but the practice is uniquely suited to the physical rehabilitation arena. Dr. Anthony Mimms, a member of Integrated Rehab Consultants, is Copper Trace’s in-house physiatrist and explains the important role a physiatrist plays in making a patient’s rehab more successful. “A physiatrist is a medical physician that takes care of physical ailments relating to nerve, muscle and bone,” says Dr. Mimms. “But we are also rehab physicians who help to return patients back to functional independence. We assist [physical] therapists … by providing guidance on any medical condition that can hinder a patient’s rehab course.”
It’s that teamwork that truly sets Copper Trace apart from typical rehab centers. Dr. Mimms consults twice a week or more with the Therapy Supervisor, rehab unit managers and the Copper Trace Medical Director. “The ultimate goal is for our residents to have the best outcomes that they can have,” says Julia Lowe, Community Engagement for CarDon Communities. “And by involving a physiatrist with our team, we’re looking at all the different aspects of their therapy and being as efficient as we can be. We want to make sure your family member has the top level of care.”
Traditionally, one of the biggest obstacles to quick and successful rehabilitation and physical therapy is pain management. Patients who continually experience pain during physical therapy not only are less likely to maintain their prescribed regimen but may ultimately lead the patient to feel like the therapist doesn’t care, which negatively affects [the patient’s] satisfaction. Here, again, is where Copper Trace’s addition of a physiatrist is so important.
Dr. Mimms says, “I act as an advocate for the patient when it comes to pain. Since I have experience in managing pain, I can help legitimize a patient’s pain and can even take that burden off the attending physicians.” Dr. Mimms has found that patients will often confide in him things that they don’t or won’t share with their physical therapist. With that intimate level of insight, “I can act as a liaison between the patient and the attending physicians and surgeons by giving them a sense of how well or not well the patient is doing regarding functional independence and what they can expect.”
The long-term effects of successful rehabilitation are fewer return trips to the hospital and greater confidence the patient has in getting back to living an independent life.
At Copper Trace you will be treated with a family approach that is rooted in the family-first philosophy which began more than 40 years ago at the very first CarDon Community created by Carroll and Donna Moore in Greenwood, Indiana. Today, there are 21 CarDon communities serving the Midwest with a vision to provide their residents – their family – with the greatest standard of senior living options and personalized care in engaging, welcoming and conveniently located communities.
Many CarDon communities, including Copper Trace, offers assisted living accommodations with access to 24/7 nursing care, which can be especially important for seniors with long-term care needs. “People who have a little bit more extensive clinical needs can be in an environment where they can still have socialization,” says Abbey Cole, Director of Admissions at Copper Trace. “They have activities, and they dine in a group, so they can keep their nursing care as well as the social aspect of their care.”
Copper Trace also offers memory care with one of its neighborhoods specifically designed for residents with memory impairment, Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia. Their Cherished Memories program features a Clinical Nurse Manager dedicated to the memory care neighborhood, giving family members added confidence that their loved ones are getting the care they need every day.
“We’re family owned. We’re family first,” says Lowe. “We take care of your family like they’re our family.”
For more information about Copper Trace, call 317-844-5050. You can also visit 1250 W. 146th St., Westfield, IN 46074 or coppertrace.us.
Witham Health Services and Suburban Home Health: Options and expertise for your road to recovery
In the journey of life, there’s no telling when an injury or illness will put up a roadblock. Luckily, there are new services designed to power you through your recovery while at the same time ensuring you maintain your independence.
Extended Care that Helps You Swing Back Into Your Life
No one wants to spend more time in the hospital. But what if your stay is over and you don’t feel strong enough to be on your own? The last thing you want to be is a burden on your family while you’re healing.
Today, you can turn to services like Witham Health Services’ Extended Care Unit. It’s in-hospital care that’s uniquely designed to help you make a smoother transition from hospital to home.
Witham Extended Care supports you with skilled nursing that provides you the expertise, experience and the latest therapies to advance your healing. This is especially important to orthopaedic and other post-surgical patients who need more individualized attention to reach their full recovery potential. In addition, comprehensive rehabilitation therapy is easily accessible to increase your strength, endurance and mobility. At Witham, everything is dedicated to helping you regain your strength and maximize your independence when recovering from a major surgery, traumatic injury or stroke.
The Witham Extended Care Unit is open to any adult who feels they could benefit from a smoother transition out of the hospital to returning home. To learn about Witham Extended Care, please call 765.485.8300. Or ask your physician if extended care is the right option to help you better bridge the path home.
Powering Your Health and Independence at Home
There’s no place like home. And fact is, home is often the best place to recuperate from an illness, injury or medical procedure. But if you require medical and therapy services, even a helping hand, you can now take comfort that you can get everything you need to empower your recovery in the comfort of you own home.
Home Health Care is Here For You
Home Health Care is where medical care and treatments are delivered right in the privacy of your own home and surroundings.
Home health care providers such as Suburban Home Health, sponsored by Witham Health Services, are highly experienced in caring for health-related needs with minimal disruption to your home life. Whether you’re a patient or a caregiver, the Sub urban Home Health Care team will work with your physician, your family and you in finding the right services, equipment and medical supplies to help you chart a path to greater independence.
Suburban Home Health provides comprehensive physician-directed health services that are tailored to you and your schedule, all available 24/7. Our high quality, professional team of registered nurses, aides, physical, occupational, and speech therapists, even social workers, provide a wide range of services to meet your individualized needs. From skilled nursing to intravenous therapy, physical, speech and occupational therapy to home health aides, Suburban Home Health gives you the freedom to recover at home.
With Suburban Home Health, you can feel safe and secure. Their staff is made up of experienced health care professionals dedicated to making a difference in the lives of their patients.
Choosing a reputable, private agency like Suburban Home Health can save you the headache of coordinating care services on your own. Suburban Home Health is Medicare and Medicaid approved and their team can help explain and navigate you through your insurance and financial options.
To speak to a home care representative, call 800.464.6716. Or visit suburbanhomehealth.org to learn more.
State’s Oldest Skilled Nursing Facility is Thriving and Growing
Writer // Ann Cinnamon • Photography // Submitted
Nestled in the campus of the Jewish Community Center (JCC) on Indianapo- lis’ northeast side is a gem of a facility that has been caring for the elderly for more than 100 years.
Hooverwood opened its doors in 1902 as the Jewish Shelter House. That makes it not only the first licensed skilled nursing facility in Indiana but also the first and only Jewish facility in Indianapolis. In 1929, it became the Borinstein Home and then moved to its present location at 7001 Hoover Road as Hooverwood in 1970.
The facility provides short-term rehabilitation, long-term care/skilled nursing services and memory care for those 55 and older. And despite being almost 50 years old, Hooverwood looks fresh and new, thanks to a major renovation that was completed in June to transform most of the facility’s rooms to private. There are now 132 private rooms with private showers.
Rather than resting on its laurels as one of the most respected and highly rated facilities in the Indianapolis area, Hooverwood is expanding into assisted living. Construction of the Residences at Kraft Commons is going on now and should be completed by early 2019.
Kraft Commons, located right next door to Hooverwood, has been in the planning stages for many years and will offer 26 luxury suites in several layouts, each equipped with a kitchenette and standup, zero-threshold shower. There will be 24-hour onsite nursing with an atmosphere that will allow for independence, socialization and an active lifestyle.
Some of the amenities at Kraft Commons will include a theater room, fitness center, fitness programs, library, outdoor dining area, beauty/barber shop and off-campus visits to restaurants, museums, shopping and movies. All meals will be provided in a full dining room.
Community Relations and Sales Director Brittany Scheidt says kosher dining is still offered since Hooverwood was originally founded to give people of the Jewish faith somewhere to go as they aged. Now, she says, people of all faiths call Hooverwood home.
She believes that its longevity and success is due to several factors – most importantly, the staff. “Something special about Hooverwood is that we have a lot of staff, nurses, CNAs (Certified Nursing Assistants) and department managers that have been here 35-plus years,” she says. “We have 20 or so employees that have been here 20-plus years. Lots of our employees also end up having family members that stay here.”
She adds that Hooverwood’s nursing and CNA ratios as far as staffing levels for care are concerned, far exceed that of competitor facilities. It makes the care higher quality because residents aren’t waiting a long time after pressing their call light because there are more nurses and CNAs to give them the attention that they need,” says Scheidt.
Another difference between Hooverwood and other nursing facilities, according to Scheidt, is its volunteers. The Hooverwood Guild has 450+ volunteers that get very involved in the facility and its residents. Guild members do lots of fundraising for things, such as replacing mattresses and buying furniture. They also work in the gift shop and library, offer educational programs and help with games, activities and monthly birthday celebrations, among other things.
Hooverwood is affiliated with St. Vincent Hospital and, in fact, has two doctors with St. Vincent Center for Healthy Aging that have an office with clinic hours at the facility. Additionally, there is a nurse practitioner onsite every day. It is a nonprofit with Medicare and Medicaid certifications.
Hooverwood CEO Evan Lubline says the caring staff will do everything to make the whole family comfortable. “From the minute someone comes in for a tour, we’re going to guide them through the process and make sure they’re feeling confident about the move – not only for the resident but for their entire family,” he says. “It’s a tough process, and we’re here to help them along the way.”
A few years ago, Mary Bigelow of Carmel found herself needing a place to care for her 96-year- old mother. She was thrilled with the care that Hooverwood provided. “The staff at Hooverwood was so kind to my mother. They included her in many activities and made her feel special. Whenever I left after a visit, I felt she was well cared for and safe, and the medical care was exceptional.”
Call 317-251-2261 to schedule tours of Hooverwood and Kraft Commons. Kraft Commons: 7019 Hoover Rd., Indianapolis, IN 46260 Hooverwood: 7001 Hoover Rd., Indianapolis, IN 46260