Mosaic Life Care is continuing to expand its home health care program to provide health visits to people in their own houses.
Mosaic’s Care at Home program provides care for those who have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart failure, blood pressure issues and other illnesses. During home visits, health care workers can take vitals tests and draw blood just like they would in the hospital.
For Margaret Pickeral, a 90-year-old woman who lives in a duplex apartment, the home health service allows her to continue living at home while still having peace of mind.
Pickeral had previously recovered from a fall and has blood pressure concerns, which qualifies her to receive Serious Illness Management (SIM) with a care manager.
“I would probably be climbing the walls if I couldn’t have this independence,” Pickeral said. “I don’t want to have to depend on somebody coming in every hour.”
Rhea Williams, a nurse practitioner who works for Mosaic’s Care at Home, said they can pretty much do everything they need at home, and patients don’t have to go to the doctor as often for tests and lab work especially.
“The benefit to us being Mosaic Care at Home is seeing patients that are Mosaic provider patients. We have direct communication with that physician or nurse practitioner,” Williams said.
Suzanne Goddard, a nurse who works as a care manager for the SIM program, said providing care at home is a comfortable experience, but they have to know they are going into someone else’s environment.
“It’s a whole different mindset because you’re in their environment,” Goddard said. “It’s a good thing too … because you get to see them at their level and in their home … being independent is what is important to them.”
Pickeral gets to enjoy time with her dog, Snickers, watch movies on her iPad outside and keep up with March basketball games.
“If you’ve got the independence, your life doesn’t go downhill,” Pickeral said.