“How will I care for myself?” “Will I be able to stay in my own home?” “Who will provide the assistance I need?” Through Heartland Home Health Care, patients can get the care they need to stay independent.  Heartland Home Health Serving Western Pennsylvania’s physical and occupational therapists take great care of their 90-year-old patient to make him safe and comfortable in his home.

“We have a patient who is 90 years old and lives alone in the city of Pittsburgh. He is very motivated to take care of himself and cooks multiple times per day. Susanne, Occupational Therapist, noticed that when he cooks items, he would often burn them due to forgetfulness. She also was concerned he would leave something on the stove and possibly start a fire. “Susanne could have simply recommended he purchase a timer, but she actually went and purchased an inexpensive timer for him, to help him avoid burning his food and to reduce the risk of any type of a fire. She also used duct tape to tape down cords that were stretched across his pathways, which were tripping hazards for him. She also assisted with his medication management, making it easier and simpler for him to correctly take the medication at the right times. “Jeff, our Physical Therapist, observed the same patient venting frustration at his medical bills, which didn’t include an “S” at the end of his last name. He said this has been an ongoing problem since he turned age 65: 25 years ago. Jeff asked to look at his Medicare card and noticed that the Medicare card was spelled incorrectly, yet his Social Security card had the correct spelling. Jeff then called both Medicare and Social Security offices and coordinated with them to change the patient’s name to be spelled correctly on his Medicare card. Medicare was sending out a corrected card within a month! This way the patient will no longer have the frustrating situation of medical bills with an incorrect last name. “The patient was extremely pleased with both of these clinicians’ extra efforts in assisting him. He stated “Susanne gave me the best gift ever, that timer! I love it and it helps me to not burn my bacon!”