Last Updated on May 15, 2024
Home Care
Charlestown Home Care (Home Support and Home Health Care), located on campus in Brookside, is dedicated to providing quality care for our residents in the privacy of their own homes. All Charlestown Home Support staff are licensed by the State of Maryland and are Charlestown employees.
Home Support and Home Health Care are listed on page 26 of the Resident Handbook, 2024 in print or online under Resident Resources in MyErickson, which requires a password.
The updated 2024 List of Ancillary Fees was supplied as a handout in all cubbies in November 2023, and is available online under Resident Resources in My EricksonMy Erickson is a resident portal. It is provided by Erickson Corporate and is managed by Charlestown staff, mainly Community Resources. See Portal. READ MORE, or contact Home Support about available services and accompanying fees.
Contacts
Kristen J. Aybar
Home Care Administrator
OTR/L, CLT, CAPS, ECHM
Email: kristen.aybar@erickson.com
Office: 410-737-8825
Capri White-Coleman
Assistant Home Care Administrator
Email: Capri.White-Coleman@
Office: 410-458-4708
Shannon Scranton
Manager, Home Care Clinical
RN, BSN
Email: shannon.scranton@erickson.com
Office: 410-737-8198
Home Support Services
For more information or to schedule a free consultation and discover how Charlestown’s home support services can help you enjoy a more independent life, please call us at 410-737-8801 or email Kristen.Aybar@erickson.com.
Conveniently located on-site at Charlestown.
Highly trained, easily accessible staff
Services are individualized to each person’s specific needs with the goal of remaining independent in their apartment home
We assume all responsibility for scheduling, workers’ compensation insurance, payroll taxes, and liability insurance
Expert Care for Peace of Mind
All home support staff have a complete background check, criminal investigation, drug screening, and service provider supervisory visits. Plus, the services provided by home support are bonded.
Experience You Can Trust
Charlestown is part of a network of communities with over 35 years of in senior health and well-being.
Dedicated to Compassionate Care
The mission of Charlestown home support is to provide the highest-quality compassionate care for residents and their families.
We work with you to enhance your well-being, helping to empower you and allowing you to thrive.
What Home Support Offers
Companionship and general household help, including:
Laundry/ironing Light housekeeping chores/organizing closets
Menu planning/shopping
Playing cards and other games/crafting and correspondence help
Packing/unpacking Walking around campus Wheelchair escorts
Classes/plays/concerts
Assistance with personal daily living activities, ranging from 2-hour increments to 24-hour in-home care, including:
Bathing Dressing Meal preparation Medication reminders
Respite care Accompaniment to off-campus shopping, appointments, and airports
In-home nursing care, including:
Medication management Comprehensive health assessments
Safety monitoring Development of customized care plan
Home Health Care
We’re Here to Help. If you are ready to pursue home health care or you have long-term assistance, please call 410-737-8825. It will be our privilege to assist you. Home Health delivers a variety of medical, therapeutic, and social services in the most comfortable of settings—your home.
Highly trained, easily accessible staff right on campus
24/7 oversight by an on-call registered nurse case manager
Coordination of your care as you transition between the hospital, inpatient rehabilitation, visiting nurse service, and outpatient services.
Certified care is provided in your apartment home.
Our home healthcare team makes it possible to recuperate in the comfort and privacy of your own home, which research indicates could lead to your faster recovery.
Could reduce caregiver pressures for family members.
With certified home health, those closest to you can concentrate on providing you with love and support as you regain independence and become as self-sufficient as possible.
Medical risks are reduced.
When you receive care at home, you reduce the chances of contracting an infection, being re-hospitalized, or needing urgent care.
Home health care is budget-friendly.
Recovering at home is more affordable than inpatient hospitalization and other forms of care.
Plus, care is highly personalized to meet your exact needs.
You’ll remain more independent.
It’s easier to resume usual daily activities, visit with loved ones, and take an active role in your recovery when care takes place in your home.
Customized Home Health Care Services
We offer a wide range of services, which can be customized to meet your needs and goals. We’ll work with your physicians to enhance your well-being, helping you regain your maximum potential and attain your highest level of independence.
Skilled Nursing Care
Management of chronic medical conditions and diseases
Wound care, catheter care, and tube feeding
Medication and pain management
Case management, including coordination with your doctor and other providers
Monitoring and teaching for unstable diabetics
Medication management
Individual health assessments and integrated care plans
Skilled Rehabilitation
Physical therapy to restore and enhance muscle and limb function
Speech therapy to aid in cognitive, speech, and swallowing capabilities
Occupational therapy to improve the ability to perform daily activities
Home Health Aides
Home health aides offer assistance with daily living activities, including bathing, dressing, grooming, and meal preparation while you receive nursing care or therapy.
Social Services
Social services provide help with resolving social issues that are an impediment to the effective treatment of the patient’s condition or recovery.
Looking for Personal Care or Private Duty Services?
It’s a big decision. And when you choose carefully and correctly you get a big reward- peace of mind.
As you look at your different options, use this checklist to take notes and compare personal care or private duty providers. After you complete your research, call our Home Support Services office at 410-737-8838 x8801 to discuss the best care options for you and your loved one.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
Agency hiring process includes screenings for certification and licensure verification checks, drug screenings and criminal background checks.
- All caregivers have the appropriate licensure and insurance.
- All aides are credentialed.
- Aides’ RN supervisor evaluates the quality of care provided with on-site visits every 60 days.
- All employees attend thorough orientation training, pass a skills competency test and receive a minimum of 12 hours a year of continuing education.
- All employees are screened for TB, current with all required immunizations and bonded and insured by the employer.
- All aides have specialized training in working with seniors.
- Inclement weather policy is in place.
- Coordinated care with primary care physician.
- State income taxes, social security and other expenses are covered by agency.
Home Support Update October 2021
Home Support has a new Assistant Administrator of Home Care, Brandie Simons, and she will specifically oversee the Home Support Department. A handful of new staff has been hired as we continue to focus on caregiver consistency and have started check-in visits with residents to follow up on the care experience.
Below is a listing of some services offered:
· Bathing/Dressing
· Meal Preparation
· Grocery shopping
· Laundry
· Wheelchair escorts
· Medication pick-up
· Light Housekeeping
· Medication Reminders
· Companionship
· Pet Care
· And more…
Casey Jaekle
Home Care Administrator
Using Outside Personnel for Home Services
I write this as a friendly but serious reminder of the importance of taking precautions when we hire any outside provider of personnel services, so you and I can remain COVID-19 free. Nothing new, but very important for us since it relates to our unique population’s health vulnerability. Dr. Fauci of the CDC has indicated several times that “40-45% of COVID-19 infections are caused by those who are asymptomatic”. So, why is this important to know? Or why should you care?
Those of us who live in Charlestown’s independent living apartments have been extremely ‘lucky’ in that we have had only 6 residents who have contracted the coronavirus, one of whom unfortunately died. This deceased was infected by someone from the outside providing private services and though vetted at the main gate, the carrier was asymptomatic and unknowingly infected the resident. The other residents were infected when visiting family, friends or using outside service persons while relaxing their guard to avoid infection.
Charlestown encourages us to take all precautions necessary when we bring anyone into our homes for whatever reason, be they family, friends or various service personnel (for example, pet-walkers, maids, beauticians, etc.), since any one of those visitors may be infected by the coronavirus, yet be asymptomatic. Both you and the visitor should be wearing masks properly, stay at least 6 feet apart, and frequently wash your hands. However, since visiting rules at Charlestown have been relaxed, many residents are not being as careful as they should be.
This week alone, I have nudged about fifteen residents/service personnel to “Please cover your nose” who were wearing their masks improperly. And to ask: Where is your mask? of those neighbors who were not wearing one. I’m afraid that mask fatigue is creeping on campus and people are letting their guard down, especially since red signs went to blue, giving a sense of it’s okay now to be less cautious.
This becomes most important when using home care personnel because it is your responsibility to ensure that these providers have been vetted, have had background checks, have liability insurance, etc. The aides may have been visiting a client outside of Charlestown and may have been infected. Ask, if they have been tested for COVID-19. I have seen a couple of private home health aides coming out of apartments without using masks and/or the resident not wearing theirs. I have reminded those persons to do so; nicely, of course. For peace of mind, I encourage you to make use of the Charlestown’s Home Care personnel who are vetted and tested and are your best bet to staying healthy.
Please, let’s help each other live another year!
Merci Izquierdo-Whitaker
Chair, Residents’ Council Health Services Committee
Home Support is Getting a New Uniform
Uniform Updates
July, 2018
Why are we changing our uniforms?
Charlestown is a vibrant community that provides a social and active lifestyle for residents. The enhancement of the Home Support uniforms is to model such an environment and to provide a more home-style look and appearance.
Why were polo style shirts selected as the new uniform top?
The specific style of shirt was selected to provide a more “home-like” appearance for Home Support staff when providing care to residents. Our previous uniform top, known as “Scrubs”, is typically worn in hospitals and other health care settings.
When will the change take effect?
The uniform change will take effect by July 23, 2018.
We hope that you will be pleased with the updated appearance of our team! Be on the lookout for more information on our new uniforms, airing on Channel 972 and in the August Sunburst!
~Casey Jaekle, July 12, 2018~