T.J. Samson | Destination Health | June 2020

Home care 2 DESTINATION HEALTH O ften the best healing happens at home in the comfort of familiar surroundings.That’s why T.J. Samson Home Health is committed to helping you—or a loved one—recover safely at home after an illness, injury or hospital stay. “Our expert home health team can help you regain your health and independence and reduce your risk of a repeat or unplanned hospital admission,” says April Pennington, RN, T.J. Samson Home Care Mar- keting Liaison. Here’s a look at the compre- hensive home care the T.J. Samson team can deliver. Services include: Skilled nursing. Working closely with your doctor, a registered nurse will develop a personalized care plan to help you mend. De- pending on your needs, T.J. Samson Home Health nurses may provide wound or ostomy care, intravenous or nutrition therapy, and more.They can also: ●  ● Make sure you’re taking the right medicine at the right time. That’s especially important after a hospi- tal stay, when your medicine may change. ●  ● Educate you and your family about how to manage your condi- tion, including a chronic health problem like diabetes or heart fail- ure or a slow-healing wound. “You’ll gain the confidence and know-how you need to keep improving,” Pen- nington says. Perhaps most crucial: “Our nurses will keep a close watch on you so that your doctor is immedi- ately aware of any change in your condition,” Pennington says. “That way your doctor can adjust care if necessary and keep you on the path to recovery.” What’s more, a nurse is always on call 24/7. Should you need advice or assistance, it’s quickly available. Physical, occupational and speech therapy. Highly experi- enced T.J. Samson Home Health therapists can help you recover from a fall, joint replacement surgery, stroke or other health problem.They can help you regain strength and mobility, the ability to do everyday tasks, and lost communication skills. Personal care. If you need as- sistance with basic personal needs, such as bathing, grooming and dressing, home health aides will lend a helping hand. Social work services. Medical social workers can evaluate your full range of needs—from financial assis- tance to help with transportation— and connect you with appropriate community resources. “We care for the whole person, not merely their condition,” Pennington says. And that care is as compassion- ate as it is comprehensive. “Our caregivers truly have caring hearts,” Pennington says. “That shows in the deep bonds that so often develop between our staff and the patients and families who trust us with their care.” Extra precautions in place for COVID-19 T.J. Samson Home Health is taking every possible precaution to protect our caregivers and our patients and their families from the spread of COVID-19. For example, we are: ■  ■ Requiring every in-home nurse and provider to pass a daily health screening before being approved for patient visits. ■  ■ Employing the use of telehealth technology whenever appropriate. ■  ■ Conducting risk assessments on every patient who is referred to our service or is currently in our service. ■  ■ Requiring personal protective equipment when treating patients with posi- tive COVID-19 tests or those under home monitoring for coronavirus. 5 facts to know about cortisone shots Your doctor has advised a shot of cortisone—a type of corticosteroid. Here are five key facts to know. 1 They’re a fast, efficient way to ease inflammation. The shots mimic the effect of cortisol. It’s one of your body’s anti-inflammatory hormones made in the adrenal glands. 2 They may be part of an arthritis treatment plan. Often, doctors inject cortisone shots directly into a joint.This treats the inflammation inside the joint, which helps ease pain, swelling and stiffness. Commonly injected joints include the knee, shoulder, ankle, wrist, and small joints of the hands and feet. 3 They treat other conditions too. For example, the shots may ease tendinitis, bursitis and gout.They may also be used to manage disorders in which the immune system attacks itself, such as lupus. 4 Their benefits may be tempo- rary. Symptom im- provement from joint injections often only lasts for a few months. Since repeated joint injections may increase cartilage loss, doctors may only give these shots two or three times a year. 5 It’s important to consider pos- sible risks. Cortisone shots raise the risk of glaucoma, cataracts, high blood pressure and osteoporosis. Talk with your doctor about possible complications before getting a shot. Sources: American College of Rheumatology; Arthritis Foundation T.J. Samson Home Health Helping you heal where you’re most comfortable T.J. Samson Home Health services are available in Barren, Hart and Metcalfe counties. Call 270-651-4430 to learn more about how they might help you or a loved one.