During a conversation with some friends, I was trying to answer this question: ”At its basic level, what does it mean to glorify God each day in my work as it relates to my coworkers?" In the moment my quick response was, “As much as it depends on me, to do all that I can to help my coworker flourish in their job.”

I didn't have much time to give the question any deeper thinking than that. Since then, however, I've had more opportunity to think about the question and think about why I would answer the way that I did.

You see, I believe that a biblical view of work can be characterized by two themes:  stewardship and reward.  Not only do I believe this a good characterization, but we can see them both in God at creation.  His exercise of stewardship is not only seen in His creativity in the diversity seen in creation, but also in His design of sustainable ecosystems is His creation.  Put more simply, He designed something, and then He provided a way for it to flourish.  And His reward is seeing the works of HIs hands functioning exactly the way He designed it to do.  Here’s the proof:  “And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.”(Gen. 1.31, ESV)  In short, God acted upon the nothingness and result is a flourishing universe.  

So when I said, “help my coworker flourish in their job,” what I meant is act on their behalf in the same way God has, does, and always will act on ours.  He comes into our space, acts on our behalf, and we flourish (I think I just restated the gospel of Jesus).  Jesus takes on our flesh, lives, dies, and is raised back to life in our place, and by grace, through faith, we flourish.  God Is Amazing!!  

Our mission at HealthKeeperz is to care for all people for the glory of God, and that means we care for all people in the same way that He does.  God perceives our need and acts for our benefit that we might excel.  What would it look like for each one of us to commit ourselves each day to the flourishing of our neighbor in the office?  What kind of difference would it make to ask the question, “How can I help you excel today, and then take action to see it through.”  When we let the  two work themes, stewardship and reward, guide us here, God’s work happens.

Faithful stewardship is going to give my work shape and direction.  I’ll pay attention to the detail, make the needed phone call now, follow-up on that email, or embrace accountability that seeks good for myself and others.  And the reward will not only be a smoother work day, but also the joy of knowing I have made my brothers and sisters happy to be at HealthKeeperz because they, too, had a smoother work day.  We all have flourished.

As we begin a new year, let’s ask God to help contribute everyday to the flourishing of our team.

Yours in Christ,
Chaplain Chavis

HealthKeeperz is thrilled to announce that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has awarded four stars to the company’s home health care services this year.
 
The four-star designation from CMS signifies excellence across eight categories:

• Timely initiation of care
• Drug education (patient and caregiver are given extensive information on all provided medications)
• Improvement in ambulation (light activity following an operation or injury)
• Improvement in bed transferring (how well the patient can get in and out of bed)
• Improvement in bathing
• Improvement in pain interfering with activity
• Improvement in dyspnea (difficulty breathing)
• Acute care hospitalization
  

This accomplishment highlights our quality of care available at HealthKeeperz, as well as the hard work, compassion, and tremendous teamwork of our medical professionals and support staff. We sat down with Natalie Sharpe, Vice President of Quality Management, to discuss how HealthKeeperz was able to reach this milestone.

“It’s all in our mission statement – caring for all people for the glory of God – and how we live out that mission,” said Sharpe. “If we align ourselves within that vision, everything else we do falls in line.”
 
Sharpe emphasized HealthKeeperz’ holistic approach to running a home health agency, which means caring not only for patients, but also for staff. She said the organization is first and foremost dedicated to treating all people well and achieving good outcomes in every encounter – with patients and with caregivers.
 
“Every single member of our team helped bring us to this point,” said Sharpe. “In particular, I want to recognize Amanda Sampson, home health director for the Laurinburg agency; Kim Oxendine, home health director for the Fayetteville agency; and Karen Booth, performance improvement director.”

Sharpe reiterated the importance of not only having a powerful mission statement, but also living up to it every single day. Our team’s commitment to this ideal is evident in the kindness and dedication with which service providers care for patients. It means going the extra mile to make our patients happy – striking up a thoughtful conversation or offering a hand to hold during an uncomfortable procedure. HealthKeeperz professional staff embody the Barnabas culture in many ways, little and big.
 
“With each home visit, we’re seeking positive results,” said Sharpe. “Positive results for the patient and for the provider.”
 
Receiving four stars places HealthKeeperz among the best home health care agencies in the nation. HealthKeeperz performed strongly across a broad range of criteria, indicating positive results in each area that we see patients for. This includes everything from skilled nursing to physical therapy to occupational therapy.
 
“We couldn’t have gotten here without a daily commitment to each other and to the Barnabas culture at HealthKeeperz,” said President Tim Brooks. “We operate more like a family than a typical top-down organization. When our nurses, therapists, and caregivers feel respected, they do their best work, and we will never stop placing the highest value on our staff and patients.”
 
If you’re interested in learning more about our CMS four star-rated services, please contact the HealthKeeperz team at 800-309-3784 to begin the conversation.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The beginning of a new year is a time for reflection, renewal, and resolutions. It’s a time when many of us stop to take a look at our lives and our habits, asking ourselves, how can I live a happier life? Often, the answer lies in taking better care of ourselves – our bodies and our minds.
 
This is particularly true for those who work as caregivers, a career in which it’s all too easy to neglect your own self-care, as well as those for whom they provide care. Here are a few fun and easy ideas that can help you live a happier and healthier life, at any age, in 2019. They are versatile enough to try with friends, family members, and neighbors. If you’re a caregiver, they can be easily incorporated into the day-to-day care of your clients – or into your own personal life, if you benefit from home health and/or companion care.
 
Discover a new hobby. Research shows that continuously introducing the brain to new things keeps it young, sharp, and healthy. Picking up a new hobby is one way to give your brain a workout. The best hobby is one that challenges you while still feeling fun and enjoyable. Many people find solace in activities that require careful attention and mindfulness, such as knitting, weaving, or painting.
 
These hobbies allow you to zone out from the stress of everyday life and escape completely into what you’re doing. Other people prefer the rush of endorphins that comes with more active hobbies, like walking. Physically active hobbies have the advantage of benefiting your mind and body health, but don’t think you have to limit yourself if you are not highly mobile: There are plenty of stationary hobbies that still challenge your brain and allow you to reap the health benefits.
 
Join a social group. Chances are, your town or city offers a variety of social groups that you are not yet taking advantage of. Even small towns have clubs and groups for activities like walking, reading books, and playing cards. Isolating yourself socially is the quickest way to feel unhappy; humans crave frequent and engaging social interaction. Luckily, there’s an easy fix to this problem:
 
Do a Google search or check your local paper for social clubs that meet near you. Meeting new people and developing close relationships is a one-way ticket to a happier and more exciting life. Research shows that it’s great for mental health and may even keep you active by providing fun opportunities for outings and physical activities. If this sounds like a good idea but you don’t know which kind of club to start with, visit your local senior center or YMCA. These environments provide a great starting point for social groups. Maybe you’ll find your people shooting hoops, walking a few laps around the track, or just sitting and chatting.
 
Rediscover cooking. It’s easy to fall into a routine in the kitchen, cooking the same few dishes over and over. After all, if you find something you like, why not hold onto it? While it’s okay to have your favorite recipes, don’t let them limit you from trying something new. Mixing things up in the kitchen will help you fall in love with food and cooking all over again.
 
Start by finding out what foods are in season, either by consulting the internet or visiting your local farmers market. Seasonal produce is always the most flavorful and delicious, and since it’s the freshest, it’s also richest in nutrients. From there, challenge yourself to prepare ingredients in a way you never have before. Many places have at least one or two international stores, where you can buy new spices and herbs that you may have never tried before.
 
If you want to make it even more fun, invite friends or family to help. Interactive dinner parties are way more engaging! You may not love every new dish you prepare, but trying new things is good for brain health, and if you incorporate seasonal fruit and veggies, your body will thank you, too.
 
Pick a room/area in your home to redecorate. Our environment affects our happiness way more than most people think or notice. If your bedroom is cluttered, your mind will feel cluttered; if your bedroom is tidy and styled just to your tastes, you’ll wake up feeling ready to tackle the day. Picking an area in your home to redecorate is a fun and rewarding project that leaves you with a tangible sense of accomplishment at the end.
 
It doesn’t have to be expensive, either: Cleaning is always free once you have the supplies to do it, and thrift stores are a wonderful place to find unique household decorations. Spend a day browsing the thrift shops in your area, and you’re bound to find at least a few one-of-a-kind gems that fit your liking. Even small touches – like replacing ancient curtains with new ones that you love or buying a few candles to adorn your dresser – can completely change the feel of a space. You deserve to have somewhere that feels like your own private haven, and creating it yourself is oh-so-fun. Plus, it satisfies the craving for change and renewal that many people feel at the beginning of a new year.
 
These healthy living ideas illustrate that you don’t have to spend an hour at the gym every day to live healthfully; simply incorporating more movement into your life and trying new things goes a long way in making you live a longer, fuller life. If you feel so inspired, these can be adopted as new year’s resolutions – ones that you’ll actually look forward to keeping. Happy 2019!

Discussions of health care too often focus on the scientific or big-picture things while neglecting the human impact. But it’s the human things that you notice and feel everyday: The exhaustion of hospital visits, the frustration of having to drive long distances to see the right doctor, the guilt over relying on friends and family for transportation. These human factors may not always come up in conversations with medical staff, but they affect you every single day. It’s often these factors that drive people to seek home health care.
 
Factor 1: Finding a clinical facility that can care for you
 
Rural populations are severely underserved by clinical facilities in this state. Facilities tend to cluster around major population areas, leaving rural folks with few or no options. The closest doctor that can fulfill your needs may be hours away. If you require highly specialized treatment, finding a doctor is made all the more difficult. For most people living in rural areas, it’s just not practical to travel so far for routine care. After all, who has time to spend an entire day just going to the doctor and back for a checkup? Unfortunately, this means that many people in rural areas end up putting off health care visits and experiencing health problems as a result.
 
Factor 2: Lack of transportation options
 
If you don’t own your own car or can’t drive, you’re often out-of-luck when it comes to receiving clinical treatment. Living in a rural area, it’s nearly impossible to find a bus line that can take you to the medical facility you need. Many people thus turn to friends, family, or neighbors for transportation, which is a solution for some, but difficult for others. It means you’re entirely reliant on others for a ride – leaving you helpless if they are all unable to take you when you need to go. That’s not to mention the feelings of guilt and longing for independence that are often associated with relying on others for transportation.
 
Factor 3: Logistical difficulties of visiting a doctor
 
Doctor’s visits are not just about the time you spend face-to-face meeting with your doctor: They also involve a long trip there, a long time spent in the waiting room, and a long trip back. Before you know it, a routine doctor’s visit can eat up your whole day. Everybody, and older individuals in particular, experiences stress and fatigue as a result of this lengthy and disruptive process. It is extremely frustrating to spend several hours on a clinical visit in which your time with the doctor may only be 20 minutes. It is also stressful and draining to uproot your day-to-day life and routines – especially when you must do so over and over to treat an ongoing health problem.
 
Factor 4: The comfort and ease of home health
 
The aforementioned factors often make home health the preferred option for ongoing care, as doctors and patients discuss the best ways to manage a surgical recovery or an ongoing condition. For one thing, it is easier for rural folks to access, with providers serving small-town areas all over the state. That means fewer two-hour drives just to check-in about your arthritis. Home health care also removes the transportation barrier that so many people face – no car, no problem. With home health, the care you need is delivered right to your door, and you never have to worry about finding a ride. Finally, home health provides relief from the strenuous process of going to and from the doctor as often. No longer do you have to disrupt your everyday life on a regular basis to receive health care. Instead of spending hours in a waiting room, you can remain in the comfort of your own home. Many people can’t believe how stress-free health care seems after switching to in-home care.
 
If you are struggling to cope with the human factors of health care, HealthKeeperz, working with your doctor, can make your life easier. If we do a good job as your home health provider, you’ll inevitably need to visit your physician less and enjoy a better recovery or quality of life from your home. Please contact us at 800-309-3784 to start the conversation.