Home care is one issue that historically has brought together Republicans and Democrats, liberals and conservatives. It's advocates include President Barack Obama and President Ronald Reagan, President Bill Clinton and President George Bush, Senator Ted Kennedy and Senator Orrin Hatch, and former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole and his Democratic counterpart Senator Tom Daschle.
Home care provides patients with the ultimate gift of compassion at a time when their world has been turned upside down. There are many ways to describe the emotional benefits of healing in your own home and, in addition to those listed above, the people who can say it best are those who have experienced home care first-hand.
"Health care at home is something we need more of, not less of. Let us make a commitment to preventive and long-term care. Let us encourage home care as an alternative to nursing homes and give folks a little help to have their parents there."
- Former President Bill Clinton
"Our home-health care provider, Marilyn, has been an absolute God-send to our family. Our son has a brain injury that has caused a lot of problems. He has problems from remembering things like when to eat to not knowing to watch out for danger. I would never be able to take a break from everyday life if not for Marilyn. She displays sympathy as well as empathy. We are so blessed to have her sit with our son and be able to have our minds at ease."
- Paula Hill, mother of a home-care patient in Grayson County, KY.
"Home health care agencies do such a wonderful job in this country helping people to be able to remain at home and allowing them to receive services."
- U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chair, Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee
"The personnel we dealt with on the phone and those coming to our home were wonderful. We felt they were competent and caring. The home care providers who traveled and came to our home were very nice, especially to my mom. They were skilled in medical procedures and willing to explain medical issues. My mom loved the occupational therapist and was very sad when she left. To all the compassionate, accomplished people who came and helped my mom through her recovery of her broken arm, I thank you ever so much."
- Jesse Applebury, son of a home-care patient, Hamilton, MT.
"Home care has specifically been proven to be a compassionate, cost-effective means of delivering essential health services."
- U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME)
"I had heard a lot about home care nurses, but you don't realize what they are like until they come into your home to take care of you. My nurse was thorough, caring and really made me feel safe when she was there. She gave me tips to help me feel better and get me moving again. I know this sounds cliche, but she was like a 'guardian angel.' She truly cared about my health problem and me and even better, she knew how to deal with my health problem. She had answers for all of my questions. She really knew what she was doing. She was a true professional."
- Charles "Chuck" Beck, home-care patient, Allison Park, PA.
"Medicare covers long-term care, but only for low-income families. And Medicare only pays for care that is connected to a hospital discharge...our health care system must cover these vital services...[and] we should promote home-based care, which most people prefer, instead of the institutional care that we emphasize now."
- Former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-SD)
"I recently saw a heart-transplant patient - who is also a diabetic - on a daily basis. A telehealth monitor was installed that transmitted vital signs twice daily to our office. This enabled our telehealth nurse to detect a needed change in medication, which she was able to coordinate with the physician and prevent a re-hospitalization. Each day I covered a different topic with the patient to educate and empower her. She stated her goal was to get her strength back, and we worked toward that objective. I watched as the patient was transformed from very anxious to very confident that she could manage her condition."
- Mary Brown, Registered Nurse, Baptist Home Health Center, Little Rock, AK.
"Thanks to home care, my Mom, Rita Lennon, was able to stay in her own apartment and then stay with me for only about a week before she dies. She lived for more than 10 years with COPD and osteoarthritis that was very debilitating. Without the intervention and care provided by her team of nurses, therapists and home-health aides, she would have had to go into a nursing home. She would have been very unhappy and I certainly did not want that for her. She lived and died with dignity and our family could not have done it without the help of home care and hospice."
- Joyce Lennon McFadden, daughter of home-care patient, Hull, MA.