Expert Services

Home Care

Who Pays for Home Care Services?*
Medicare, Medicaid, or private insurance will usually pay for skilled services provided by a nurse or therapist through a HHA when ordered by a doctor. Be aware that insurance will probably not pay for all the care your family member will need.

What is Home Care?
The Home Care program at Cornerstone VNA provides services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to people in need of healthcare at home. Home Care consists of Skilled Nursing, Licensed Nursing Assistants, Rehabilitation Services, Medical Social Workers and other specialized services.

Who is Eligible?
Cornerstone VNA is committed to bringing services to people of all ages so that families can stay together at home, even when facing the challenges of aging, surgical recovery, chronic or life-threatening illnesses or end of life care. We serve 34 communities in Southern New Hampshire and Maine.

Home Care Services

A doctor confirms in writing that he or she has examined the patient within 30 days and that the patient needs skilled nursing care. Without this signed paper, the home care agency cannot “open the case” (begin treating your family member). The doctor signing this paper can be a hospitalist or community-based doctor who has seen your family member within the past 30 days.

The patient is homebound. This means it is very hard for him or her to leave the house. Your doctor medically restricts you to your home or you need assistive equipment to leave the home (walker, cane, wheelchair) or need supervision/help from another person and it is a taxing effort for you to normally leave the home (increased pain, difficulty breathing, more tired, etc.)

The patient needs only short-term or part-time skilled services. (*adapted from www.nextstepincare.org)

Hospice Care

Did you know? November is Hospice and Palliative Care Month
November is National Hospice and Palliative Care Month and hospices across the country are reaching out to raise awareness about the highest quality care for all people coping with life-limiting illness. Click the image below to learn more!

What is hospice?
Helping our patients and their loved ones live every day to its fullest is the Cornerstone of our hospice program. Our highly skilled team will partner with your physician and other healthcare providers to develop a plan of care that meets your unique needs and honors your wishes.

Hospice is a philosophy of care that focuses on providing physical, emotional and spiritual support wherever you live, whatever your life limiting illness. Our team cares for patients in private residences, assisted living facilities, nursing homes and hospitals, with a wide range of diagnoses such as cancer, dementia, stroke, COPD, and heart failure and more. We are experts in managing pain and other distressing symptoms, and in teaching patients and caregivers what to expect as the illness progresses.

Facts about Hospice and Palliative Care

Who is eligible?
In order to be eligible for hospice, a physician familiar with your care must certify that you are living with an illness that could lead to death within the next six months, if that illness takes its expected course. Hospice care focuses on aggressively treating symptoms and ensuring comfort, rather than continuing to seek to cure the disease.

Who pays for hospice?
Hospice is a covered service under Medicare, Medicaid, and most private insurers. For patients who do not have insurance and do not qualify for Medicare or Medicaid, a sliding fee scale is available.

Who is on the hospice team? What services are provided?
Our team includes nurses, physicians, licensed nursing assistants, medical social workers, chaplains, volunteers and bereavement counselors.

Nurses are available 24 hours a day to monitor and treat symptoms, and teach patients and families what to expect as the illness progresses.
Hospice physicians provide home visits to assist with managing symptoms.
Licensed nursing assistants help with bathing, dressing, eating and mobility.
Social workers can assist with advance directives, emotional support and coping, financial needs and access to community resources.
Chaplains are available to provide spiritual support to both patients and their loved ones.
Volunteers can provide companionship to patients and respite to caregivers.
Physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy and nutritional counseling.
Bereavement counseling and support are available to loved ones for a full year after the loss. Click here for information about our next support group.

Palliative Care

What is Palliative Care?
Palliative Care is specialized medical care for people with a serious illness. Its focus is on providing patients relief from the pain and anxiety of a complex illness, regardless of the diagnosis. It is appropriate at any age and at any stage of a disease. Palliative care is different from Hospice care in that it may start at diagnosis. Patients receiving Palliative Care may also receive curative treatment for their disease. The primary goals of the Palliative Care Program are to improve the quality of life for both the patient and their family and decrease the need for emergency room visits or re-hospitalizations. According to the Center to Advance Palliative Care* people may need palliative care in a community setting if they:

Don’t meet criteria for hospital admission, yet need support.
Are too well for home care and yet also do not meet the criteria for hospice.
Are frail and elderly and want to stay out of the hospital.
Have a child with a serious illness and chronic care needs that negatively impacts quality of life. (www.capc.org/topics/palliative-care-community/)

About our Palliative Care Program

The Palliative Care Program at Cornerstone VNA provides consultations and follow-up visits with a Registered Nurse and/or a Nurse Practitioner. We will work together with you, your family and your physician(s) to help manage your symptoms and establish goals of care.

Palliative Care focuses on your symptoms and helps you understand your treatment options so that you have more control over your illness and can improve the quality of your life.

Did you know?
There is a difference between Palliative Care and Hospice Care. Palliative Care is for the chronically ill and Hospice Care is for the terminally ill.

Patients receiving Palliative Care can still receive treatments to cure or aggressively manage their disease and do not need to have a limited life expectancy. A patient does not need to be home bound to receive this service. Care is provided where the patient lives: home, assisted living facility, or nursing home.

Palliative Care can be accessed through a Home Care or a community referral. A referral can be made by a physician, a friend, a family member, a neighbor, or by the patient.

Life Care – Private Duty
Trusted Care In Your Home – 24/7 (603) 332-1133

Cornerstone Life Care – Private Duty is proud to offer an array of services delivered by our experienced and well trained staff ranging from companions to nurses. Our goal is to provide the best services possible to help you or a loved one remain in the comfort of their home as long as possible. Whether you are looking for a little break or desire to age in place, we offer flexible scheduling to meet your needs from as little as once a week to 24 hours per day. Call us today at (603) 332-1133. Click here to view our Life Care Brochure.

“Many thanks for all the love and support each of you gave my friend. You made her days and nights happy and she loved you all. I also want to express my deep appreciation and thank you for the support you gave me. I admire you all for what you do so well. Thank you.”

Community Care

Community Care Clinics
Cornerstone VNA provides monthly health screening clinics.

Click here for a current list of Community Care Clinics.

An RN will be available for blood sample screenings for diabetes, cholesterol, blood pressure monitoring, medication and nutrition counseling. The services provided are free, however, there is a small fee for a cholesterol screening if noted. Unless otherwise noted, the clinics are open to the public.

Business Wellness Clinics

Cornerstone VNA can do on site business wellness clinics and flu clinics as an added benefit for your employees to promote better health in the workplace.

Our clinics are provided by an RN and include; Blood Pressure Checks, Blood Sugar Checks, Weight, Cholesterol Screenings, Medication and Nutrition Counseling or the clinic can be specific to your needs.