In today’s episode we’re joined by Sara Ratcliffe, Executive Director of the Illinois Home Care and Hospice Council. Sara is the former State Home Care Association Chair and serves on the board of directors of the National Association for Home Care and Hospice.

In this episode we discuss:

• How to use the Illinois Home Care and Hospice Council to find reliable local home care
• How technology and creative division of labor are taking pressure off caregivers
• The importance of training family caregivers and offering them respite care

Below are some highlights from our conversation:

• [1:33] Learn about the history and mission of the Illinois Home Care and Hospice Council.
• [3:32] Discover whether all Illinois home care providers are required to be a member of the Council.
• [4:37] Learn how the Council can help consumers find the perfect service provider for their needs.
• [5:32] Sara discusses the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the home care industry.
• [10:29] Discover how technology is enabling caregivers to do more for their clients, and how creative division of labor is taking pressure off nurses.
• [13:13] Sara discusses the importance of supporting and thoroughly training family caregivers.
• [15:09] Learn about new government initiatives aimed at helping support home care.
• [17:11] Sara shares the skills she picked up as a high school art teacher that have translated to her current profession.
• [19:54] Sara reminds consumers that there is a home health agency for everyone, no matter the ability or need.

After listening to today’s episode, I think that like me, you’ll come away with a greater understanding of how the home care industry is adapting to the evolving needs of consumers. You may even be inspired to reach out to a home care agency in your area and secure care for someone you love.

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

To learn more about how the pandemic changed the landscape of home care, listen to my interview with Sheila McMackin, a licensed clinical social worker, founder of Wellspring Personal Care, and founder and past president of the Home Care Association of America. Learn how best to search for safe and effective home care in a post-pandemic world as well as strategies for tackling the industry-wide staffing crisis.

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.

Access the full Help Choose Home podcast library.

Rate, Review and Subscribe

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts
Subscribe on Google Podcasts