Care Is Their Calling
Stay Home Senior Services offers patients in-home care options and services for those who need it most.
by Jane Schmidt & photos by Turner Photography Studio
Illnesses, disabilities, and health issues associated with aging oftentimes lead to immediate life-changes for individuals and their families. Sudden uprooting of established lifestyles to accommodate patients’ treatment and care occurs frequently, causing undue stress and concern for families regarding their loved ones’ well-being, happiness, and safety.
Fortunately, there are options available beyond moving loved ones into nursing home facilities. Located in Hagerstown, Stay Home Senior Services of Maryland, Inc. provides careful patient monitoring through compassionate, trustworthy services within the comfortable, familiar atmosphere of clients’ homes.
“The history of Stay Home dates back to 2008 with a vision of assisting people to safely ‘stay home’ with independence, comfort, and dignity,” relates President/CEO and owner LouAnn Haw. “From pediatrics to geriatrics, we provide the highest quality in-home care available.” Stay Home offers many economical custom in-home care services, from a few hours per week to 24/7 continuous care.
Serving Maryland and West Virginia, Stay Home has an extensively trained and screened qualified care-giving staff. “Our RNs, personal care aides, and certified nursing assistants average 16 years of healthcare industry experience and are dedicated to providing excellent quality patient care,” relates LouAnn. Services are available through private payment or in conjunction with patients’ long-term care insurance.
Stay Home also provides respite care relief for those with loved ones enduring after-effects of illness or continuing symptoms associated with chronic medical conditions. Harlan Woodward’s family chose Stay Home to assist his parents. His mother has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. “My sister initially looked into a daycare facility. We decided on Stay Home because my parents’ health issues require a lot of detailed care. There is less stimulation, anxiety, and panic for my mom because she remains in her home. Stay Home met our every expectation. The caregiver adheres to all my parents’ necessary daily requirements,” shares Harlan, who is a California-registered geriatric nurse currently working toward Maryland licensure.
Stay Home manages many comfort and companion care services for the couple, including reading books, playing music, light recreation, serving and monitoring meals, and offering consistent daily schedules. “Stay Home fills the gaps and allows me to take my dad to his doctor’s appointments and handle necessary errands without worrying about mom,” Harlan explains.
Stay Home’s Certified Nursing Assistant Beverly Helfrick helps Harlan’s mother with personal care and is vigilant to maintain routine. “Bev knows what works and you know she truly enjoys helping mom, who really likes her company,” notes Harlan.
Michael and Fran Newman were familiar with Stay Home’s services, as Fran was a registered nurse with them before suffering from traumatic brain injury. The Newmans began a Stay Home plan, assisting Fran with self-care, guiding her through exercises prescribed by her physical therapist and offering companionship. “Having
Betty’s Wish
Stay Home is establishing “Betty’s Wish,” a foundation to assist seniors who don’t have financial resources for home care. “Betty’s Wish is named for my late mother. My mother had platinum morals, a heart of gold, and a wallet of pennies — but she was always helping someone in need,” shares LouAnn. “Near the end of her life she required 24-hour care and her wish was to never go into a nursing home. ‘I just want to stay home,’ she told me, hence our name Stay Home Senior Services. Our goal is to fulfill Betty’s wish to help those who, like Betty, want to Stay Home,” explains LouAnn.
Focusing on assisting those with limited independence due to illness, medical conditions, disabilities, health issues, or aging, Stay Home creates individualized care plans tailored to each client’s specific needs. Stay Home maintains dialogue among clients, families, and doctors, and keeps detailed individual care plans.
Compassionate Care
When Dr. Judith Peisen’s mother Bertha suffered a sudden stroke, her family called Stay Home to provide in-home care. “My mother was the person in our family who took care of everyone over the years when each was at the end of life — no one ever went to a nursing home. When she had her stroke and needed the loving care she gave everyone else, Stay Home made it possible for me to give her that care and continue working a full-time job,” Judith shares. During Bertha’s subsequent 24-hour continuous patient care plan, Stay Home’s nursing assistants were dependable, gentle, caring, and knowledgeable. “I needed help during the day when I went to work and I needed it on time every day regardless of weather,” Judith shares.
Stay Home also provides respite care relief for those with loved ones enduring after-effects of illness or continuing symptoms associated with chronic medical conditions. Harlan Woodward’s family chose Stay Home to assist his parents. His mother has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. “My sister initially looked into a daycare facility. We decided on Stay Home because my parents’ health issues require a lot of detailed care. There is less stimulation, anxiety, and panic for my mom because she remains in her home. Stay Home met our every expectation. The caregiver adheres to all my parents’ necessary daily requirements,” shares Harlan, who is a California-registered geriatric nurse currently working toward Maryland licensure.
Stay Home manages many comfort and companion care services for the couple, including reading books, playing music, light recreation, serving and monitoring meals, and offering consistent daily schedules. “Stay Home fills the gaps and allows me to take my dad to his doctor’s appointments and handle necessary errands without worrying about mom,” Harlan explains.
Stay Home’s Certified Nursing Assistant Beverly Helfrick helps Harlan’s mother with personal care and is vigilant to maintain routine. “Bev knows what works and you know she truly enjoys helping mom, who really likes her company,” notes Harlan.
Michael and Fran Newman were familiar with Stay Home’s services, as Fran was a registered nurse with them before suffering from traumatic brain injury. The Newmans began a Stay Home plan, assisting Fran with self-care, guiding her through exercises prescribed by her physical therapist and offering companionship. “Having
Stay Home here with Fran allows me to keep our household running. I can run errands and not worry. Fran needs help with stairs and it’s nice to have someone here. Bev and Fran have a good rapport. It eases my mind to know Fran is safe when I’m out,” Michael explains.
New Senior Nutrition Services
Stay Home offers nutrition services for those requiring special menus due to health concerns like diabetes, heart conditions, and digestive disorders. “We are ServSafe® compliant and offer healthy meals to meet clients’ needs. Our nutrition specialists shop, devise menus, review favorite recipes, adjust family recipes when possible, and adapt them into healthful alternatives,” Agency Director Rose Wolters explains.
One of their clients, who is an active, full-time executive senior, simply has a diet that needs to be monitored. “We grocery shop and create heart-healthy, low-sugar meals he approves. Foods are made on-site, labeled, and stored — he just warms them. This ensures he eats healthfully and properly,” Rose explains.
“We recognize the trust our clients place in us every time Stay Home enters their homes and understand nothing is more important than their safety and well-being. We accommodate clients’ needs as they change, but one thing that will never change is our commitment to providing exceptional care with compassion, excellence, and reliability,” concludes LouAnn.
Help Is Right Here
Stay Home Senior Services of Maryland, Inc.
1190 Mt. Aetna Rd., Suite 101, Hagerstown
301.739.2273
StayHomeSeniorServices.com
