In 2019, we realized that some of our patients would benefit from a continuum of care as they transitioned from home health to needing more of a hospice plan of care. It made sense to support the relationships we already had with patients and their families and extend our services to include hospice care. Knowing the needs of our patients and respecting their end of life wishes is crucial in hospice care and we are honored to be a small part of our patients’ journeys.

If you have questions about what hospice care entails or knowing when it’s time to start hospice care, reach out to us. We can provide answers to your questions and guidance for your decisions.

Occupational therapy is designed to treat patients by using daily activities as a therapy to improve hand-eye coordination or fine motor skills. Our occupational therapists (OT) may use self-care activities, like dressing and bathing, or writing to help improve fine motor skills. Occupational therapy is performed by licensed therapists.

So, what can an occupational therapist do to help an aging patient? Here’s how…

1. Overcome the struggles of everyday life. OTs help improve fine motor skills and range of motion through a variety of exercises that can make daily tasks more manageable.
2. Prevent falls. OTs provide balance and muscle-building exercises that can prevent falls.
3. Recommendations for patients with dementia. OTs can make recommendations that can make life easier for patients with dementia.
4. Assist caregivers. An OT can teach healthy coping skills to caregivers and educate them on the patient’s status and any current research regarding the patient’s condition and illness.
5. Life transitions. OTs can help elderly patients deal with life transitions by educating them and providing health coping skills.
6. Vision loss. Elderly patients who suffer from vision loss or eye diseases tend to struggle with performing simple everyday tasks. OTs conduct exercises with elderly patients that improve perceptual vision, pattern detection, and overall visual awareness. Occupational therapists will also commonly suggest changes in the home or workplace to make sure their vision loss does not get in the way of everyday life.
7. Home modifications. OTs will review the layout of the patient’s home and make recommendations to modify the space that promote a safe independent lifestyle.
8. Memory rehabilitation. All elderly people suffer some degree of memory loss. Some activities OTs conduct to assist the patient’s in regaining their memory are puzzles, placement of signs, allowing only a limited number of items for patients that suffer confusion, and more.

So…do you have a family member that is struggling to complete daily tasks on their own? Have many of the strategies you have tried failed? It may be time to enlist the assistance of an occupational therapist. Contact our team today for details on how to secure care.

Families and patients often tell us that they “wish they had called us sooner.” Once people experience the benefits of hospice, they understand that its focus is on comfort and quality of life. Unfortunately, there are many misconceptions surrounding hospice care. Here are some common myths about hospice and the truth behind its goals and objectives.

Myth: Hospice care is only for the dying.
Fact: Hospice is not about dying, it’s about keeping patients living life to the fullest, with the time they have left. Studies have proved that patients with terminal diagnoses often live longer and have a better quality of life with hospice care.

Myth: Hospice care is expensive.
Fact: Hospice is fully covered by Medicare/Medicaid. It is also covered by many private insurance companies. Most families incur no financial burden from hospice.

Myth: Choosing hospice care is indefinite.
Fact: Patients and families can revoke hospice care at any given time. Instances such as an improvement in condition or a decision to pursue other measures of care lend themselves to the termination of hospice. Patients can reapply for care at any time.

Myth: Hospice and Palliative care are the same.
Fact: While both types of care are offered during serious illness, they are not the same. Hospice begins once the decision to end treatment for a terminal illness is made and palliative care generally begins at diagnosis and happens at the same time as treatment.

Myth: Only doctors can refer patients for hospice care.
Fact: Anyone can make a referral. Family, nurses, clergy, etc.

The principles of hospice care are simply described as those of good clinical practice. Good medical practice integrates a whole range of care –medical, nursing, psychological, social, cultural, and spiritual. When it comes to hospice care all aspects are essential no matter the patient’s illness, wherever the patient is under care, whatever his/her social status, creed, culture, or education.

At Armonia, we value our patient’s comfort and well-being, which is why we are dedicated to a group of goals we strive to reach during the provision of hospice care. These include:

• Integrated Teamwork
• Management of Pain and Physical Symptoms
• Holistic Care
• Caring, compassionate, and Skilled Providers
• Timely and Responsive Care
• Patient and Family Preparedness

For more information regarding in-home care, contact us at 915-584-5272.

In-home care provides convenient and professional care to patients recovering from illness or injury. The goal is to help patients regain their independence and quality of life. At Armonia we offer a variety of services that assist patients in reaching their goals. Below are three of the most common types of care we provide.

Skilled Nursing
Our skilled nurses are properly trained and licensed to provide patients with individualized care under the supervision of a medical doctor. Most commonly they treat and manage complex wounds, IV therapy, catheter support, and the monitoring of all vital signs. Our experienced nurses are also available to assist with most medical equipment needs.

Home Health Aide
Home health aides are paraprofessionals that work under the supervision of our skilled nurses. Their role is to regularly monitor any changes in a patient’s physical or mental state. They assist with day-to-day activities that include bathing, dressing, and vital sign checks.

Medical Social Work
Our medical social workers serve as the patient’s educator or advocate. They strive to support and educate patients and their families with necessary information regarding insurance coverage, doctor plans of care, and public assistance programs. In addition, medical social workers maintain in regular communication with patients and their medical providers.

Armonia provides a full range of in-home therapy and rehabilitation services for patients in the El Paso area. Our skilled therapists provided uniquely tailored care that assists patients in reaching a more independent lifestyle and better quality of life.

Physical Therapy
The goal of our physical therapist is to restore a patient’s mobility and balance. Physical therapists focus on recovery from an injury or surgery, chronic conditions, and pain relief. All of our therapists are licensed and undergo extensive training specific to in-home therapy.

Occupational Therapy
Occupational therapists use day-to-day activities to improve and treat hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. Self-care activities include dressing, bathing, writing, and more. The focus of this type of care is centered around sensory and cognitive improvement.

Speech Therapy
Speech disorders can result from a variety of issues such as injury, neurological, or brain disorders. Our speech therapists assess the patient’s condition and provide the appropriate treatment to treat functional communication and safe swallowing

Planning for in-home care for yourself or your loved one can seem overwhelming but those who plan ahead may have more available options. From government assistance to Veterans programs, there are a variety of options available to most.

Out-of-Pocket Payments
When planning ahead, there are a few options for out-of-pocket options. Many patients pool together a care budget from multiple financial sources such as annuities, investments, savings, life insurance policies, or borrowing in the form of reverse mortgage or home equity loans.

Government Assistance
Patients may receive assistance for home health care if they don’t have insurance coverage for long-term care and can’t afford to pay out-of-pocket. Original Medicare can cover the total cost of any necessary home health care on a limited basis for those who are unable to leave home without assistance. This may include occupational, physical, or speech therapy and skilled nursing care. Original Medicare will cover routine home care and assistance with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and basic medical care that includes the checking of vital signs and dressing wounds. Services are only covered on a part-time or intermittent basis, and only if a doctor orders it.

Veterans Programs
Former service members may qualify for one of many VA programs that assist in paying for in-home care. Some include Aid and Attendance benefits, Housebound benefits, Veteran Direct Care and Homemaker and Home Health Aide Care.

The hospice philosophy accepts death as the final stage of life: it affirms life but does not try to hasten or postpone death. Hospice care treats the person and symptoms of the disease, rather than treating the disease itself.

“You matter because of who you are. You matter to the last moment of your life, and we will do all we can, not only to help you die peacefully but also to live until you die.” - Dame Cicely Saunders, Founder of the first modern hospice

Coordination of Care
Armonia’s compassionate team will coordinate and supervise all care, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The team ensures that all services are rendered in a timely fashion. This may include the coordination of doctors, inpatient facilities, pharmacies, and funeral directors. We encourage families to contact us at any time, there is always someone on call.

Family Meetings
Frequent meetings scheduled by our hospice nurse or social worker are intended to keep family members up to date on your loved one’s condition. During these meetings family members have the opportunity to share their feelings, discuss the current situation and learn more about the process of dying. These meetings provide family members with the support they require during this difficult time.

Bereavement Care
The period of mourning after a loss is difficult and requires sufficient time to heal. Our empathetic hospice team works with the family to help them through this grieving process. Armonia can refer family members and caregivers to licensed professionals who specialize in grief and the pain felt when a loved one has been lost.

Palliative Care and Symptom Control
Sometimes referred to as supportive care, Palliative care focuses on symptom management and comfort. This type of care does not treat the disease or cause of death, instead, it treats the symptoms and side effects brought on by them. The focus is on making the patient comfortable by relieving pain and stress. In addition, the management of mental, emotional, social, and spiritual issues are addressed.

Securing hospice care at the right time can provide the patient with the comfort and pain relief they need. So, is it time for hospice? Answering these questions can help you decide whether the time has come to contact our capable staff.

1. Has your loved one been diagnosed with a serious, life-limiting illness?
   
2. Has there been a recent change in their condition? A change that limits their comfort or keeps them confined to a bed or chair.
   
3. Do they need more medical support? More doctor visits, an increase in pain meds, or three or more hospitalizations in the past few months.
   
4. Has your loved one started needing more assistance performing day-to-day activities? Bathing, dressing, walking, eating, etc.
   
5. Has your loved one been given the prognosis of six months or less to live due to the progression of a diagnosis?
   

If you answered yes to some of these questions then the answer is yes, it is time to secure hospice care. At Armonia, we believe that the hospice journey should be loving and comfortable. Our nurses provide thoughtful, emotional, and spiritual support during these difficult times. Contact our experienced staff today, they will carefully walk you through the entire process.

Before we know it, the inevitable will happen, cold and flu season will creep in and hospitals will see a surge in patient intake. This seasonal epidemic generally runs from October to March and while most will survive the fever, cough, headache, and other known symptoms, many will not. So how can you avoid getting the flu?

The first step in avoiding the flu is the most obvious, get the flu shot. Flu vaccines vary from year to year but are proven to significantly reduce the severity of the virus. For the immunocompromised, elderly, and pregnant women, the vaccine leads to fewer deaths and hospitalizations.

Should the unfortunate happen and you or a family member present with symptoms it’s recommended that keeping a “survival kit” on hand can help in treating symptoms quickly. Avoid spreading the virus by keeping your supplies on hand. Fluids, fever reducers, cough drops, antiviral treatments, and cold and sinus meds are the most critical. A good thermometer and moisturizing tissues are also a must.

Meet Norma Gonzalez, Office Manager at Armonia. Norma has been part of the Armonia team for seven years and loves helping patients and assisting them with anything they may need. Answering questions and addressing patient concerns are her favorite parts of the job. Referring to the Armonia team as her “other family,” Norma also enjoys spending time with her family and friends.