We gathered a great mix of area professionals at Murasaki on Wisconsin Avenue recently for a very productive – and delicious – lunch. Take a look at who was in attendance below. An excellent group of healthcare and related folks, we all made new contacts and strengthened some we already had.

The larger events we do are fun, but these more intimate gatherings are a great way to really get to know each other. Each person in attendance is top-notch; I’d be proud to refer business to them anytime. Take a look and consider their services if you have a need. CareShare is all about building real relationships with good people… If we do that right, business will follow!

Susan I. Wranik, MS, MA, CCC-SLP, Board Certified Speech-Language Pathologist

Customer service training and communication skills education for direct care personnel.

Vicki Stewart, Clinical Liaison Manager, Equinox Healthcare, Inc.

Specialty pharmacy.

Amy Schiffman-Ashkin

A doctor that specializes in making house calls!

Allie Thomas-Vanderhoof Rehab

Rehabilitation specialist that comes to the home.

Melissa Beck, Case Management, Aging Network Services, LLC

Full service case management.

Mike Loins, Keith Holdan

Medical device / equipment providers in the DC area.

Seabury Care Management Carla Rawlings, LGSW, Care Manager, Stephanie Chong, LICSW, Director of Operations, Christine L. Bitzer, LICSW, LCSW

Personalized, affordable services and housing options for older adults.

Marti Bailey, CSA, Director of Community Relations, Grand Oaks Assisted Living

Assisted Living community in Northwest DC.

We’ve certainly covered this topic before, but I was recently struck again by the careful, thorough process required to successfully match caregivers and clients. I overheard a Warman “Care Coordinator” on the phone with someone exploring their options; someone who just learning how home care could work for their loved one. The Warman representative really needed to ask a range of questions to even begin to recommend the level of care and support required, from medical conditions, to medications, mobility, lifestyle, expectations, and more.

Even when it appears to be a good fit, a Warman representative, usually a registered nurse, will first visit the home, meet the client and further assess their needs. They are primarily working to match the ideal caregiver in terms of skills, experience – and personality. But they are also making sure that additional, skilled care is not warranted. At the same time, they often also make simple, but important recommendations on how to make the home environment safer and easier for a senior, regardless of their decision on home care support.

If you are inquiring about care, you should be concerned if a provider is NOT this thorough. It is common for adult children beginning their research to want to “cut to the chase” and hone in on the bottom line cost – but I submit that a little patience with an initial conversation will give you far more of an indication of whether a home care provider is a good fit for your Mom or Dad. Click for more on the unique approach Warman Home Care or discover a few tips on when it’s time to consider home care.

In their latest “Cost of Long Term Care” study that looks at every state in the U.S., Genworth Financial shows there is good news for the 78% of Americans that say they would prefer to stay at home as long as possible. Now in its 35th year as a leading provider of long term care insurance, Genworth’s Cost of Care Survey helps raise public awareness of the various options available beyond just nursing home facilities, and the costs associated with each.

According to Genworth’s 2010 Cost of Care Survey, the cost to receive care in the home has risen at an annual rate of just 1.7 percent over the past five years. That compares to annual increases of 6.7 percent for assisted living facilities, and 4.5 percent for a private room in a nursing home, over the same period. For more information, here’s a good blog on long term care where first found this story, and Genworth Financials’ web site for details on the study itself, including a state-by-state cost breakdown.

Wow! What a great event. Chef Nikki whipped up some amazing dishes right in front of us. Everyone learned a bit about how she does her magic and enjoyed sampling her creations. The folks at Collingswood were gracious hosts, and we welcomed Kathy Catucci, their new administrator. We had almost 60 top-notch professionals in attendance.

We’ve already heard from some of you and would really like to hear from more. We believe we’re on to something, but we’d like to get more confirmation from you. The idea is to bring the best professionals together, but not force networking on everyone. Hold an interesting event and let people build real relationships over time. That’s it. Here’s a few of the emails we received just after the event:

“Great Event! Very different”

“I appreciate the food and the warm response I received at the event and also appreciate the new network of friendships I have made.”

“GREAT GREAT meeting, very good networking event, I can’t thank you enough.”

“Thank you for inviting me,” I have made huge new connections!”

We even had two people reconnect after realizing they used to waterski together years ago! Now where else do make connections like that? Look forward to seeing you at our next event!

Just thought we’d take a minute to profile an outstanding facility in Montgomery County, Maryland. We partner with a lot of great nursing homes, assisted living and adult apartment communities, so we don’t mean to play favorites. But, Collingswood deserves a little attention; they’re hosting our latest CareShare event for healthcare and related professionals in June, and they are welcoming the promotion of Kathy Catucci, RN, LNHA as Collingswood’s Adminstrator.

The Center offers private rooms, up-scale amenities, long-term nursing care, full time registered dieticians, dialysis treatment on-site in a new dialysis center, a certified wound care specialist, and superior rehabilitation services.  Find out more about Collingswood.

The way we can and should take care of our parents as they age is changing. Everyone’s living longer – which is great. Chances are, Mom and Dad would like to stay at home (or in a retirement community) as long as possible – and not make the final commitment to a nursing home or assisted living facility until it’s absolutely necessary.

Our Own Families

We love our parents dearly, but as their adult children, we have jobs and families of our own. As much as we wish to help around the clock, there is just not enough time to be there to make sure they are safe at all times, help with household chores, to buy groceries, or visit the doctor.

Making the Right Choice

There are a growing number of reputable companies providing Home Care services. Good ones have great caregivers and work for just a few hours a week up to live-in care. This is far better than making the once-and-for-all move to a nursing home. It’s a better way to live and  it’s less expensive than a nursing home, but the costs still add up.

This scenario is very common and has becoming the most compelling reason to consider Long Term Care Insurance. It is typically the only way non-medical home care can be covered so it is NOT an out of pocket expense.

Interested in Learning More?

This has become such an important and frequent discussion that two of the area’s leading providers, Hope Joyce, a director at Warman Home Care and Kris Kornemann, a financial planner with Financial Advantage Associates, have teamed up to offer a short presentation to explain the pros and cons of Long Term Care Insurance and how to shop for quality home care.

It’s not a sales pitch, but rather a 30 minute, strictly informational presentation. If your parents are approaching this point in life, this is a great way to start doing a little research and potentially make some smart financial and quality of life decisions for your family. Kris and Hope are available to offer their presentation to any groups interested in DC, northern Virginia and surburban Maryland.

Contact Hope Joyce directly at 888-243-6602 or hjoyce@warmanhomecare.com for details.

Yesterday, a select group of healthcare and related professionals met to netowkr and build relationships, helping each other advance our 2010 business goals. We also thought it would be a good way to kick off the New Year with some good company and great food (French picnic style!). The food and company proved excellent, and everyone had fun (and made some connections, too). We are all feeling optimistic about the upcoming year, and what a way to kick it off!

Check out some of the pictures we snapped at the event.

Warman Home Care participated in a Senior Fair at the Philadelphia Protestant Home recently. The program was well attended, and had a visit by State Representative for that district, Brendan Boyle, who is pictured below.

The Fair had drawings and door prizes. Warman donated a $25 gift card to a local grocery store. Mary Magilton, pictured below with Warman Home Care’s Philadelphia Director of Operations, Brenda Head, won that gift card.  Thanks to the Philadelphia Protestant Home for hosting the Senior Fair. We had a great time!

Recently, Warman Home Care joined The Wellness Community of Greater Washington D.C. at the Ovarian/Gynecologic Support Group. Warman Home Care is a proud supporter of The Wellness Community. We provided a healthy lunch for the group and were happy to learn more about their community.

The Wellness Community is part of a network of independent, community-based, nonprofit organizations committed to providing free emotional support and educational programs to individuals affected by cancer. In 2008, they had more than 8,000 contacts with people who needed their help through on-site programs and outreach efforts.

Warman Home Care participated in the Montgomery County Fair to help celebrate Senior Citizens Day on Tuesday, Aug. 18th.

Admission was free for seniors all day. There was lots of great food and attractions – and the band played all afternoon! With dancing and singing, it really was a fun time for everyone who came out.

We saw many of our friends and colleagues in senior care also in attendance, including: Gaithersburg Senior Center, Rockville Senior Center, Apex Health, Randolph Hill Nursing, The Beacon Newspaper, Bravo Health, Montgomery County Stroke Association and Adventist Health Care. Helpful Medicare and Medicaid representatives were there as well. Take a look at a few of the pictures we snapped. It was definitely a fun time… Thanks to everyone who stopped by and said hello!