Published: October 16, 2008 09:06 am      

SSM Home Care marks 40 years of service

By VANESSA WELCH

vanessa.welch@register-news.com

MT. VERNON — SSM Home Care, a division of SSM Health Care, is in its 40th year of bringing health care services directly to area patients by providing individuals with quality care in their homes.

The organization serves patients from newborns to those over the age of 100 when extended care is required after a hospital stay, as an alternative to hospital admission or living in a nursing home or similar care setting.

“To me one-on-one care is very important,” registered nurse and marketing coordinator Leah Carlock said. “When a nurse is in a hospital, there are many patients and doctors busy making their rounds. When a nurse goes to a home, she’s there for one-on-one care to address the patient’s specific needs. They use all their skills and knowledge, and it can be very scary but rewarding as well.”

Carlock said the non-profit organization was founded in October 1968 by registered nurse Marilyn Fowler. Today many nurses provide patients with services including skilled nursing, infusion services, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, mental health, social work, nutrition and home medical equipment.

“The nurses treat complex wounds, administer IV’s, change dressings and teach proper diet and medicine regime,” Carlock said. “They also provide physical therapy to patients such as those who have had joint replacement surgery.”

Since family members spend many hours taking care of their loved ones, Carlock said nurses also teach relatives how to properly take care of patients and create a safe home environment.

Carlock noted a Telehealth program also exists to administer patients’ health when nurses are not at their residences. Through the service, a patient’s information is hooked up to a phone line so that if their blood pressure is too high or they gain a certain amount of weight, Carlock said information goes directly to a nurse.

SSM Home Health director Chris Adams said many of the nurses have over 30 years of experience and are committed to the needs of each patient.

“We only have experienced nurses in our agency,” Adams said. “There are more complex patients than there were 40 years ago. We’re seeing what used to be intensive care and worse.”

Carlock and Adams both agreed the level of trust established with area physicians and focus on community are two unique aspects of SSM Home Care.

“We feel really fortunate to have served this area for 40 years, and we’re going to keep doing it,” Carlock said. “We’re tied to the community.”

Nurses in the St. Mary’s Good Samaritan Branch of SSM Home Care currently serve patients in nine counties including Jefferson, Marion, Franklin, Clinton, Washington, Perry, Wayne, Hamilton and Edwards.

A separate yet similar service, SSM Hospice Care, is available for those who have life-threatening diagnoses, Carlock said.

Carlock said SSM Home Care strives to provide holistic and family-centered care which is reflected in their mission: “Through our exceptional health care services, we reveal the healing presence of God.”

“Jesus was the first home health nurse,” Carlock said. “That’s what we do every day.”