When people think about at-home services, chances are they think in terms of assistance that is provided in a private house, apartment, or other freestanding home. You might be surprised to learn that WesleyLife at Home serves clients wherever they live -- even in one of our communities, or communities that are not associated with our organization!
Janet Heinicke's situation is one example. When Janet, who lives in a townhome at The Village, a WesleyLife Community for Healthy Living in Indianola, fell and fractured her hip, she realized if she intended to continue to live in her home, she was going to need some assistance. Thankfully, she knew where to look for help.
Janet, an artist, had been working in her home studio when she decided to take a break for lunch. As she was finishing in the kitchen and preparing to go back downstairs, she lost her footing.
“I suspected right away that I had broken my leg," Janet says. “Unfortunately, my medical-alert device was in the bedroom, and I couldn’t reach my phone. I tried scooting around to get to it, but that didn’t work. So I just stayed where I was until someone came to visit the next day and saw me through the windows.”
Janet had surgery that week; after a few days in the hospital, she returned to The Village and spent some time undergoing physical and occupational therapy in short-term rehabilitation. But when it came time to be released, she knew she wasn’t quite ready to be on her own. On the other hand, she couldn’t wait to be back home.
“Before my husband passed away, we had called on WesleyLife At Home to provide the services we required for him, and the assistance they gave us was exactly what we needed,” Janet says. “I thought it would make sense to arrange that again.
"I have a large family of adult children, but everyone lives elsewhere and no one is a position to be available. Plus, my independence is important to me.”
Janet found arranging services to be a seamless process, and team members from WesleyLife At Home began visiting Janet at home several times a week. The Home Health team helped with medically related services and worked with Janet to continue to the strengthening exercises she'd learned in rehabilitation; the At-Home Services team assisted with light housekeeping and food preparation.
“In years past, families lived together and helped one another when someone had a health issue; services like this one can take the place of that kind of situation,” Janet says. “I saw so much value in the help WesleyLife provided."
Janet says she’s certain her recovery would have been delayed if she had not been able to recuperate at home.
“There’s the economic value; having care in my home was very reasonable for me," she says. "However, it’s more than that. There was the comfort aspect.
"Now, having assistance enables me to not only continue my recovery, but to maintain the kind of living environment that comforts and satisfies me.”
