Compliments of Rotarian Thomas Little, Kelli Cedars of Lagniappe Home Health informed members of the local Rotary of the many health care and services available to patients while residing in their homes when she spoke here October 23.

These include nursing, nursing assistants, therapists, social workers, physical, occupational, and speech therapy, fall prevention assessment and management by removing fall hazards and installing safety measures, medication assistance, blood pressure and diabetes care and management, and management of IV therapy. Lagniappe’s psychiatric nurse has experience with post traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety and other mental health issues.

Ms. Cedars said all the above services are covered by traditional Medicare coverage. She also cautioned her audience to beware of the lure of reduced premiums with an HMO plan because such plans do not cover a lot of the services available in the home and are restricted to health care providers in a particular network, who are probably not local.

Lagniappe Home Health employs local nurses and therapists. An out-of-town home health care service has nurses who must travel 30 minutes to an hour to provide patient care, which is not feasible in emergency situations.  Ms. Cedar noted the choice of home health provider belongs to the patient, and one need not select the provider recommended by his physician.