Good Cause of the Month: Healthy at Home

This non-profit provides personal care and medical services to enhance health to those in need.

Starting last year, we began alerting you to events and causes worthy of your time and philanthropic treasure in our Good Cause of the Month series. Keep an eye out for a Good Cause every month here at NHMagazine.com, from charitable events to volunteer opportunities to nonprofits you should get to know – and, by the end of the year, your do-gooder cred will be off the charts.

For the Good Cause of the Month for March, we’d like to introduce you to Healthy at Home. Since 1997, the organization has provided elderly individuals who struggle with disabilities, chronic or terminal illnesses, or have recently stayed in a hospital high-quality, in-home health and personal care, in the hopes of providing the opportunity to remain in the comfort of their homes and maximizing their level of independence. Some of the topnotch services that are available any time, day or night, include: skilled nursing (including psychiatric), home health aides, occupational therapy and much more. Healthy at Home serves the Greater Nashua and Southern New Hampshire regions, including, but not limited to: Hollis, Hudson, Merrimack, Brookline and Derry.

What They Do

Healthy at Home is a member of the Partnership for Successful Living, with partners such as Harbor Homes, Keystone Hall, Milford Regional Counseling Services, HIV/AIDS Task Force and Welcoming Light. Their unique, holistic approach to care allows for better results and outcomes for their clients and the community. The organization’s main priority is providing expert care on those in need, which can be attributed to their talented, diligent and dedicated staff. Administrator Sharon Drolet has worked in home health operations and finance for about 30 years. Drolet understands the frequency and urgency of hospital discharges, and how important it is to avoid hospital re-entry. “We strive to provide the best care possible and/or to assist clients to be as healthy as they can while remaining in their home,” she says.

Clinical Director and RN Diane Radziewicz worked at a community hospital for 38 years as a PACU nurse and day surgery nurse. In 2003, she started part time as a visiting nurse at Healthy at Home, and soon her experiences opened her eyes to the differing mindsets in hospital and home settings, especially caring for an at-home patient who was probably discharged too soon. These experiences inspired Radziewicz to help patients in need right in their own homes. “I was a critical care nurse, so there was a lot of technology involved and not a lot of direct patient contact,” she says. “I enjoy the personal care, the teaching and the relationships that you build with patients.”

Drolet and Radziewicz are only two employees at an organization that makes a difference in the lives of many elderly community members who would not otherwise have access to professional, affordable medical care. Staffing at Healthy at Home is desperately needed, especially LNAs (Licensed Nursing Assistants) and PCSPs (Personal Care Service Providers). “The work is hard, the pay is low,” says Drolet. “It takes a special person to be able to do the work of a home care employee. In many cases, we are the only people our clients see in a day. Unwavering relationships are built between clients and their caregivers. It’s a real feeling of accomplishment.”

How You Can Help

From visiting their home base at 77 Northeastern Blvd., Nashua, to donating equipment that can be recycled to those in need, here are a few ways that you can help:

• Donating: If you have any equipment that can be recycled to those in need, please consider donating it to help change someone’s life. They also welcome donations of any kind, including donations to offset the cost of care.
• Staffing: More staff is desperately needed at Healthy at Home. If you are looking for a meaningful career, visit this link to search for available positions.
• Volunteer: If you would like to enrich the lives of others through a unique opportunity to serve, check out this link to volunteer for the Partnership for Successful Living.

To learn more about Healthy at Home and all the ways you can get involved, visit their website here.

Do you know of an organization or charitable event that would make a great Good Cause of the Month? Send your ideas to Assistant Editor Emily Heidt at eheidt@nhmagazine.com