New Trends in Patient Care

Medical science and technology have evolved dramatically since the VNA was founded in 1898. While the VNA’s pioneering nurses had limited resources at their disposal, today’s VNA encompasses a multidisciplinary team of nurses, physical, occupational and speech therapists and other professionals who rely upon many specialized devices and wireless connectivity to achieve excellence in patient care.

Changing Physical Therapy Needs
The impact of shifting patient demographics and medical breakthroughs in the field of home care is vividly illustrated by emerging trends in physical therapy. While it is most commonly associated with rebuilding strength, balance and mobility in the aftermath of orthopedic and neurological concerns, a growing population of elderly patients with debilitating conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) now require in-home physical therapy to learn “energy conservation” techniques. With the help of a physical therapist, seniors who are prone to shortness of breath, vertigo and fatigue can maintain their optimum level of independence and best possible quality-of-life by reinventing how they approach routine activities.

Direct-to-Home Discharge
With the emergence of new, less invasive techniques for knee and hip replacement, many people are electing to have orthopedic surgery at younger ages. As a result, the VNA now offers a direct-to-home discharge program ideally suited for patients who are in otherwise good health. Intensive, in-home physical therapy visits, coupled with skilled nursing and home health aide visits as needed, allow patients to completely bypass or significantly shorten inpatient rehabilitation confinement with the permission of their physicians.
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In fact, patients like Ken MacDonald are often surprised by the speed and ease of their recovery. Although he technically qualifies as a senior citizen at age 69, Ken leads an active life that includes employment as a restaurant manager. After a recent knee replacement, he was able to return home quickly, rapidly advance from in-home therapy to outpatient therapy and back to work with the help of the VNA.

Ken MacDonald was labeled “Superman” by a physician who marveled at how quickly the 69-year-old recovered from knee replacement surgery with the help of VNA professionals including physical therapist Anne Marie Jones.

“I want to be an example for other seniors who’d like to remain active,” observed Ken MacDonald, pictured here working with Anne Marie Jones. “They need to know that it’s not necessary to live with painful orthopedic conditions that can slow you down because the surgical recovery process is not too difficult when you receive home care.”