In today’s episode of Help Choose Home, we’re joined by Ken Albert, RN, Esq., president and CEO of Androscoggin Home Healthcare + Hospice. Androscoggin is an independent nonprofit home healthcare organization in central Maine that has been serving about nine counties and 185 communities for the last 55 years.

Ken has a varied background in healthcare, law, and government. He was recently elected to the board of the National Association for Home Care and Hospice. Ken has served as Director of Emergency Services at Central Maine Medical Center (CMMC), as the Administrator of the Occupational Health Center affiliated with CMMC, and as the Lewiston Site Manager for LifeFlight of Maine.

In this episode we discuss:

• The boom in telehealth during the COVID-19 crisis
• The future of American public health in a post-pandemic world
• The importance of educating primary care providers and consumers about palliative care and hospice care

Below are some highlights from our conversation:

• [1:30] Learn about the history and mission of Androscoggin Home HealthCare + Hospice.
• [2:30] Learn about Ken’s professional, clinical, and legal experience.
• [3:35] Ken discusses Androscoggin’s response to the COVID-19 crisis and how home health has adapted to meet the needs of patients during a pandemic.
• [5:05] Ken shares how Androscoggin has helped patients and staff members feel safe receiving in-home care during the pandemic.
• [7:49] Discover how telehealth supports patient monitoring, care, and mental wellness in both home settings and care facilities.
• [10:39] Learn about reimbursement options for telehealth, and trends in legislation to support virtual healthcare.
• [12:52] Ken discusses how COVID-19 patients are being treated in assisted living and hospice settings.
• [14:00] Ken speculates on the future of public health in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• [16:32] Ken discusses the future of public masking and hand sanitation in the United States.
• [17:35] Learn about Ken’s involvement on the board of the National Association for Home Care and Hospice, and about his hopes for the future of aging care.
• [19:02] Ken discusses the challenges and goals of his role as the president and CEO of a healthcare provider in a rural area.
• [21:10] Learn how educating primary care providers, starting conversations among consumers, and making use of palliative care can encourage utilization of hospice services.
• [23:37] Ken reflects on the enormous amount of respect healthcare providers have for being invited into their patients’ homes.

After listening to today’s episode, I think that like me, you’ll come away with a greater understanding and appreciation for the way hospice care and at home senior care have adapted to meet the needs of patients in a pandemic. By lobbying for meaningful change at a governmental level and staying adaptable in local communities, healthcare providers can provide innovative solutions.

You can listen to today’s episode here, or on Apple Podcasts, Google,  YouTube or wherever you listen to podcasts.

To learn more about innovative ways in which home care is meeting the needs of seniors, listen to my interview with Shawn Bloom, President and CEO of the national PACE Association. PACE, or the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly, has been around for more than 50 years and is a model centered on the belief that it is better for the well-being of seniors with chronic care needs and their families to be served in their community whenever possible.

If this episode has been helpful, be sure to leave a five-star review and share the podcast with your friends to help us in the national effort to educate about home health care options! You can connect with me, Merrily Orsini, on Twitter@MerrilyO.

Sponsors

The Help Choose Home podcast series is a collaborative effort by the National Association for Home Care and Hospice (NAHC), Axxess, and corecubed to educate the public about the many benefits of the in-home care industry, which includes non-medical home care, private duty nursing care, medical home health, hospice, and other in-home health and wellness services.

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