Central Vermont Home Health & Hospice (CVHHH) believes that everyone deserves access to high-quality, person-centered health care wherever they call home, regardless of their ability to pay or their insurance status. During National Care at Home Month, CVHHH and thousands of other home health care agencies across the country come together with #OneVoiceforCareatHome to share with our community, media, and policy makers why this model of care is so valuable to so many.
CVHHH and the world have changed considerably since our founding in 1911, but what was true then is true now: Care at home makes sense – for patients, their families and caregivers, providers, and the future of healthcare.
Why care at home and why CVHHH? Here are four reasons this work matters:
1. It’s what Central Vermonters want.
Most people, especially older individuals, want to stay in their own home for as long as possible. They want to sleep in their own beds, surrounded by their loved ones, pets, and cherished belongings. Supporting patients’ desire for independence and honoring their goals of care means they can achieve the highest possible quality of life.
2. It helps Central Vermonters avoid costly, unnecessary care.
Monitoring patient health by integrating communication systems like telemonitors and offering care coordination helps people advocate for their needs and access non-emergency care quickly. Proactive intervention such as a telephone call from one of our nurses or an adjustment in medication can mean the difference between a hospital stay and sleeping at home.
For example, CVHHH’s Longitudinal Care Program (LCP) provides ongoing at-home medical support and care coordination for Central Vermonters living with chronic conditions who no longer qualify for traditional home health services. Clients use telemonitors to report their vitals and transmit results immediately. This data is reviewed daily by a nurse who can use it to identify and mitigate health issues before they require more intensive care. The wraparound care that LCP clients receive has been shown to increase the time between more serious care episodes that might require a visit to the emergency room, hospitalization, or an admission to a home health episode of care with CVHHH. Betty Gacetta lives in Barre City and is currently enrolled in the LCP. “It’s been a wonderful service. I really appreciate it so much because I don’t feel alone anymore,” she says. “There’s always someone there to check on things, and I can ask for advice.”
3. It supports the ability for people to age in place.
CVHHH brings care that was once only available in a hospital to our patients’ front doors. In doing so, our patients stay connected to their families, loved ones, and communities.“ CVHHH walked beside my mother and me every step of the way — guiding us through the process with tenderness and care,” says Deb Sachs, whose mother, Claire Ladd, is on CVHHH’s outpatient Palliative Care Consultative Service. “Their personal attention helped us understand what was needed for her to live independently and with dignity for as long as she could.”
4. We make healthcare accessible for Central Vermonters at home.
There are access challenges across Vermont and in our community owing to a combination of factors, such as medical practices shuttering, advanced care needs for an aging population, and ongoing workforce shortages. Home health care helps relieve some of this pressure: Patients don’t need a bed in a nursing home or care facility because they already have a bed – at home – and the care comes to them where they are most comfortable and feel safe.
We all have choices when it comes to our healthcare. CVHHH is committed to Central Vermont – to ensuring that residents of the 23 communities in its service area can access the kind of healthcare they want and deserve. You can learn more about CVHHH’s services and support CVHHH’s work by volunteering or with a gift. Click here to learn more.
