Howard Regional Home Care and Hospice

In April 2004, Visiting Nurse Service, in collaboration with Howard Regional Health System (HRHS), expanded to the Kokomo area and opened Howard Regional Home Care and Hospice.  VNS is the preferred provider of Howard Regional Health System and is an affiliated agency of the United Way of Howard County.

Traditional Home Care Services Include:

• Skilled Nursing
• Psychiatric Nursing
• Home Health Aides
• Medical Social Workers
• Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapy

Special Home Care Services Include:

• Telehealth is an in-home monitoring system that electronically sends vital health care information back to a central computer data bank, which is monitored by a nurse seven days a week. Items that can be monitored include such vitals as weight, blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen saturation, temperature, glucose meter, peak flow meter and a pocket electrocardiogram device.  These are recorded and then transmitted via a phone line to the VNS Telehealth nurse for evaluation.  Should an established disease parameter be exceeded, the nurse can immediately discuss this information with the patient’s physician to possibly change medications, treatment or to immediately schedule a home visit.   This allows VNS and the patient to be proactive and triage a situation before it becomes and an emergency.  By using Telehealth, VNS anticipates that physical visits will decrease somewhat, but “televisits” will increase, thus giving the patient more interaction with the nurses from VNS, and a higher degree of satisfaction knowing there is a nearby “safety net” when needed. 

• Alzheimer’s Association Affiliated Caregivers Support Group
  This support group meets at the VNS Howard Regional Home Care and Hospice Office, located at 2800 S. Reed Road in Kokomo, the first Tuesday of every month at 6:00PM.  For more information contact Sue Flasche at (765) 453-8357.

• Mommy/Baby Visits
  The Mother/Baby Program is committed to providing wellness, postpartum assurance to the mother, and the prevention of illness for both mother and baby.  This program provides a nurse visit to mothers and their newborn babies typically within 48-hours after discharge from the hospital. The Mother/Baby Program is designed to help support mothers and babies and further fulfill the mission of VNS for the provision of community wellness programs.

Visits to Mother and Child may include:

• Routine Assessment of the mother
• Provide post-partum instructions
• Head-to-to assessment of the infant
• Infant blood work if ordered
• Provide newborn care instruction
• Monitor phototherapy progress

• HealthWatch
  HealthWatch is a personal response system that provides a vital safety net that many people need to continue living at home in familiar and comforting surroundings. This system is the only one that automatically self-tests all system components every day, and automatically monitors the Personal Transmitter Pendant for functionality and battery status. Our system has “Enhanced Sensitivity” sound mode that greatly increases our ability to help you quickly in emergency situations and an optional Fall Detector that automatically senses if you’ve had a serious fall and signals the Response Center to send emergency assistance.  In additional, Health Watch systems provide Wellness Check-In, Daily Activity Reporting, and convenience calling that lets you answer phone calls using your personal Transmitter Pendant.  The best part is Health Watch systems puts you in touch instantly with caring people—specially trained to respond and assist you whenever help is needed.
             

Howard Regional Hospice Services

Hospice is a special kind of care designed to provide compassionate services for those personas with a terminal illness.  It recognizes that dying is a natural part of life, and does nothing to either hasten death or to sustain life.  Hospice can be provided in a variety of settings, including the patient’s home, hospital, and skilled nursing facility or in assisted living.

VNS is a certified Medicare and Medicaid hospice provider.  For those beneficiaries, the hospice benefit covers expenses related to the terminal illness.  Many insurance plans cover hospice services.

VNS Hospice Services Include:

• Total coordination of care through the patient’s primary physician and/or hospice medical director
• Symptom management and pain control
• Skilled nursing available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
• Home care aides
• Medical social services and counseling
• Spiritual counseling
• Medical equipment and supplies
• Pharmacy specializing in hospice care
• Volunteer support
• Ongoing educational and bereavement support for loved ones

Special Hospice Services

• DC4Kids
  This is a grief support program for children grades 1 – 8 and coping with the death of a loved one.  This is provided at no cost to the family and is co-sponsored by VNS Howard Regional Hospice and Crossroads Community Church.  Meetings are every Monday evening from 6:00PM – 8:00pm at Crossroad Community Church located at 4254 S. 00 E.W. in Kokomo.  For more information call Joyce Brooks, Hospice Chaplain, at (765) 453-8558.

• Grief Gatherings
  These are educational presentations to provide information for the bereaved and an opportunity to share with others who are in similar grief situations.  There is no cost to attend.  Meetings are the first Tuesday of each month from 6:30PM – 8:00PM at the Northwoods commons Activity Room located at 2501 Friendship Blvd. in Kokomo.  For more information call Joyce Brooks, Hospice Chaplain, at (765) 453-8558.

• Walking through Grief
  Walking is a healthy way to help cope with the tasks of grief.  Join us to walk every Wednesday at 8:00AM at the Kokomo Mall.  Meet at the southeast mall entrance near Elder Beerman. For more information call Joyce Brooks, Hospice Chaplain, at (765) 453-8558.

• Hospice Volunteer Opportunities
  VNS has an immediate need for Hospice volunteers in the Kokomo area.  Training is available for this challenging yet rewarding opportunity.  Anything you enjoy doing can be utilized to support others on their end-of-life journey.  For more information call Joyce Brooks, Hospice Chaplain, at (765) 453-8558.