Every day, RVNA’s Melissa Woodhouse, RRT, MOT, OTR/L and Deidre Sommerer, LPN, MS, spend time speaking and meeting with families who find themselves in the position of arranging care and aides for a loved one who has begun to encounter challenges with living independently.

“Sometimes people are planning for the future,’ says Sommerer, Home Health Aide Supervisor, “but more often they need help right away because situations can get serious quickly, yet the activities and needs of daily life must go on. They may need just a little bit of help doing errands and preparing meals, or they might need assistance with medication management and personal care.”

“We have absolute respect for both the needs of the family and the desires of the individual receiving care.”

Melissa Woodhouse, RRT, MOT, OTR/L

For families new to this – which are most – they often need help determining the right level and type of care that will make the difference. Plus, they are often in a position of arranging care for someone who may not really want it! RVNA understands this.

“We have absolute respect for both the needs of the family and the desires of the individual receiving care,” Woodhouse, director of RVNA Homecare services, elaborates. “Our aim is to encourage and maintain the highest level of independence and quality of life while ensuring comfort and safety — to offer peace of mind all around.”

RVNA does this in many ways: by carefully matching caregivers to individuals; by creating a smooth transition to care; by developing individual plans of care that focus on areas where help is needed most, recognizing any medical or cognitive needs; and by staying in close contact with families and caregivers .. at all times.

“Individual needs change all the time,” says Woodhouse, “so we stay in close touch with our caregivers and families to ensure we’re providing the assistance that is needed and escalating any new concerns that may need attention.”

To learn more about RVNA’s non-medical caregiving services, call 203-438-5555.