Interim HealthCare Inc. Extends HomeLife Enrichment® Standard of Care to Meet Comprehensive COVID-19 Patient and Family Needs

SUNRISE, Fla., May 4, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Interim HealthCare Inc., the nation's leading franchise network of home care, senior care, home health and hospice and healthcare staffing services, today announced the extension of its HomeLife Enrichment® signature standard of care to meet the comprehensive needs of COVID-19 patients at home, and to support families with educational tools and resources.

As a surge of COVID-19 patients are released from hospitals to recover at home, Interim HealthCare nurses, clinicians and caregivers are prepared to meet their comprehensive needs in the setting they prefer. Through its HomeLife Enrichment® signature standard of care, that encompasses the mind, body, spirit and family, Interim HealthCare strives to improve the overall health and wellbeing of its patients and those around them.

"The home is the safest place to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and to support continued patient recovery," said Jennifer Sheets, Interim HealthCare Inc. president and CEO. "With this pandemic, the need to create customized, patient-centered care has never been more important. By working to help boost emotional health, mental acuity and involving the family in care plans for COVID-19 diagnosed individuals, patients benefit from improved wellbeing. We recognize that care is not just about treating a diagnosis and our goal is to heal the whole person inside and out. Our HomeLife Enrichment signature standard of care incorporates all the factors that can improve a person's health."

The Interim HealthCare COVID-19 HomeLife Enrichment signature standard of care combines the following areas and best practices to improve mental, emotional and physical health:

• Mind: Providing tools to educate caregivers and families on how to prevent the spread of and recognize the signs and symptoms of COVID-19. Leading with current recommendations and evolving CDC and local and state health department's guidance.
• Body: From using personal protective equipment (PPE) to facilitating early COVID-19 screening and following best practices to prevent transmission for caregivers, patients and their families, home care clinicians are helping to flatten the curve. As researchers uncover post-recovery side-effects, the program will further evolve to support a full continuum of anticipated specialty areas, including respiratory, rehabilitation (including physical and occupational therapies) and other yet-to-be-determined therapies.
• Spirit: Maintaining an upbeat attitude has many health and recovery benefits. With such a socially isolating virus, by helping patients connect with loved ones virtually, listen to music, play recreational games or participate in artistic activities, caregivers can use an array of tools to increase mental acuity and emotional health in the recovery process.
• Family: For the best outcomes, family members are actively integrated into care plans. Interim HealthCare partners with the family at the center of its care model by sharing educational COVID-19 resources, maintaining communication, supporting emergency response, managing household functions, risk assessment and contingency planning.

As hospitals and emergency departments look for reliable ways to divert patients with less intense symptoms to avoid overcrowding, having an extended continuum of care in the home becomes incredibly valuable. By helping to transition COVID-19 patients that are ready or who could be monitored in the home, Interim HealthCare will use its HomeLife Enrichment signature standard of care to provide the comprehensive services needed to improve their overall health and wellbeing.

In addition to helping to prevent the spread and treating patients for COVID-19, all Interim HealthCare specialty programs, including cognitive care with a focus on dementia, diabetes, heart disease and chronic care fall under its HomeLife Enrichment signature standard of care offerings.

Caregivers are trained to find ways to empower patients at home, regardless of their age, health or disability. This whole-person standard of care helps people live safe and independently, while improving their dignity, purpose and self-worth.

For more information about the Interim HealthCare HomeLife Enrichment approach, visit: https://www.interimhealthcare.com/education-center/homelife-enrichment

For more information on the COVID-19 specialty focus, see the enclosed attachment.

About Interim HealthCare Inc.

Interim HealthCare Inc., founded in 1966, is a leading national franchisor of home care, hospice and healthcare staffing. It is part of Caring Brands International, which also includes UK-based Bluebird Care and Australia-based Just Better Care, both well-known franchise brands in their countries. With more than 530 franchise locations in seven countries, Caring Brands International is a global healthcare leader.

Interim HealthCare in the United States is unique in combining the commitment of local ownership with the support of a national organization that develops innovative programs and quality standards that improve the delivery of service. Franchisees employ nurses, therapists, aides, companions and other healthcare professionals who provide 25 million hours of home care service to 190,000 people each year, meeting a variety of home health, senior care, hospice, palliative care, pediatric care and healthcare staffing needs. For more information or to locate an Interim HealthCare office, visit www.interimhealthcare.com.

SOURCE Interim HealthCare Inc.