Managing Conditions at Home

Sometimes it is easiest and best for patients to manage chronic conditions from the comfort and safety of their home. Sentara Home Care Services makes that possible with trained, caring staff and the right resources to assist patients and their family members.

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Respiratory Conditions

Asthma is a chronic disease, affecting millions each year who often end up requiring acute, episodic care, and hospitalization because of poor symptom management. Sentara Home Health has registered nurses who specialize in asthma disease management and assess the patient's condition and provide teaching through a telehealth monitor.

Goals of the asthma program are to:

Educate the patient and caregiver on the asthma disease process
Increase compliance with medications
Identify and eliminate environmental triggers
Decrease ER visits and hospitalization
Reduce time lost from school/work

To arrange for services, call 1-800-HOMECARE (1-800-466-3227) or 1-888-461-5649 outside of Virginia. For more information on asthma and its treatment, visit the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America website.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is comprised primarily of two related diseases: chronic bronchitis and emphysema. In both diseases, the flow of air through the airways and out of the lungs is chronically obstructed. The obstruction generally is permanent and progressive over time.

Sentara Home Health believes people with COPD can lead active and full lives. By diagnosing the disease early, treating symptoms, reducing the risk of complications and educating patients and families about COPD, our home care staff aims to improve patients' quality of life. Our goal is to help people with COPD take charge of their breathing and regain or maintain control of their lives by becoming actively involved in the management of their disease.

Some patients with COPD may benefit from oxygen therapy, which is necessary when blood does not have enough oxygen. Some people with COPD need oxygen only with activity or while sleeping. Many people with COPD need oxygen all the time (24 hours a day).

Oxygen saturation levels can be measured with a small device that fits over the fingertip (called a pulse oximeter). This is done while the patient is resting and walking. These measures can determine the best oxygen settings to use for rest, sleep and activity. To achieve the most benefit, patients need to use oxygen exactly as prescribed.

Pulmonary rehabilitation services:

Medical and nursing management
Education
Physical conditioning
Nutrition counseling
Consideration of psychological and social needs

For more information about our COPD Program, or to arrange care for a patient or a family member, call 1-800-HOMECARE (1-800-466-3227) or 1-888-461-5649 outside of Virginia.

Heart Failure

For patients with congestive heart failure, Sentara Home Health offers an innovative telehealth option. The patient's home is equipped with wireless equipment that gives patients the ability to easily perform important measurements like oxygenation, blood pressure, pulse, temperature, blood glucose and weight.

Patients answer clinically reviewed questions specific to their condition on a touch-screen monitor. Within minutes, this information is electronically transmitted to a home care nurse. The unit also allows Sentara's home care nurses and patients to see and hear each other in real time for virtual visits. Through a combination of in-home visits and telehealth encounters, nurses can identify worsening conditions early and notify physicians in time to avert hospital or ER admissions.

Another advanced technology used in treating patients with congestive heart failure is the ZOE™ fluid status monitor. ZOE™ fluid status monitor is a noninvasive medical device that measures fluid levels in heart failure patients, allowing Sentara Home Health Services personnel to predict exacerbations early, when intervention can make the biggest difference. The ZOE™ fluid status monitor measures thoracic base impedance or Zo, an early predictor or congestion which can decrease as early as two weeks prior to weight gain. Sentara Home Health Services congestive heart failure patients are instructed on how to use this simple device to measure their Zo twice a day.

For more information on the ZOE™ fluid status monitor, visit the ZOE™ Web site, or call Sentara Home Health Services at 1-800-HOMECARE (1-800-466-3227) or 1-888-461-5649 outside of Virginia.

For more information about congestive heart failure services or to arrange home care for a patient, a family member or yourself, call 1-800-HOMECARE (1-800-466-3227) or 1-888-461-5649 outside of Virginia.

Diabetes Home Care Program

Diabetes Home Care Program
Sentara Home Health provides in-home, comprehensive diabetes home care to patients living with diabetes. Our home care staff recognizes that patients with diabetes should play a major role in self-management.

Our diabetes home care program stresses patient education, adherence to prescribed medical therapy and self-assessment of diabetes. Since diabetes is a lifelong disease, self-management and education are the major goals of Sentara's diabetes home care program.

Diabetes Home Health Services:

Assessment if hyper/hypoglycemic
Instructions on medication, including self-injection of insulin
Instruction in self-assessment of blood glucose monitoring and appropriate response to changes in glucose levels
Instruction on self-blood glucose monitoring, hyper/hypoglycemia, foot and skin care, exercise and nutritional/diet requirements and other aspects of the disease
Promotion of treatment plan, including follow-through with scheduled physician appointments

The goal of the diabetes home care program is for our patients to adhere to their prescribed dietary regimen, have optimum glycemic levels, obtain independence with insulin/medication administration, and have optimal knowledge regarding diabetes and how it affects the body.

To find out more about the diabetes home care program at Sentara or to arrange for services for a patient, family member or yourself, call 1-800-HOMECARE (1-800-466-3227) or 1-888-461-5649 outside of Virginia.

Wound Care At Home

Sentara Home Health nurses are experts at implementing comprehensive treatment plans for wound care patients who are unable to care for a complicated wound. They follow principles of effective wound care management under the direction of the physician. Both standard and advanced wound care procedures, products and technologies are used. Sentara Home Care Services employs both Wound Ostomy Continence Nurses (WOCNs) and Certified Wound Care Nurses (CWCNs).

Types of wounds treated include burns, diabetic ulcers, donor/graft sites, infected wounds, pressure ulcers, and surgical and vascular wounds.

We pride ourselves in utilizing the latest technology available, such as telehealth electronic visits for wound care patients who remain at home and require ongoing visits by a home care nurse. Digital cameras are used to document wound characteristics, while computer software assists with monitoring progress of wound healing.

For more information, call 1-800-HOMECARE (1-800-466-3227) or 1-888-461-5649 outside of Virginia.