It wasn’t that long ago that Mary Ann Stuckey found herself lying
on the floor at her home after falling. Fortunately for her, she didn’t
have to wait long for help to arrive. As a subscriber to Campbell County
Health’s Lifeline service available from
Home Health, she was able to get help quickly with just a push of a button.
“I lose my balance and I have a leg that wants to go out,”
Mary Ann said. “I called them (Lifeline) and they came over.”
Since 2003 Mary Ann has used the Lifeline services that are administered
by Campbell County Home Health. Living alone, it helps her maintain her
freedom with the assurance that help isn’t far away if she needs it.
“It gives me a peace of mind,” Mary Ann said. “It gives
my family a peace of mind. Without it I wouldn’t be living by myself.
I’d be in a nursing home.”
Lifeline also allows Mary Ann to get out and enjoy her life. She frequently
volunteers at Campbell County Health, as well as the
Campbell County Senior Center.
Lifeline has been offered through Campbell County Health for decades. The
service, which currently has about 140 subscribers, helps individuals
live at home with the security of knowing help isn’t far away if
something happens. Regardless of the service users choose, subscribers
can just push a button to contact the Lifeline system for assistance.
If it’s an emergency, responders are sent out immediately to check
on the individual.
“Lifeline is a service that we provide through a landline or cell
phone,” said Ashley Fraser, RN, director of
Home Health and Hospice. “The whole intention is to provide people with more independence
and keep them at home.”
As healthcare has evolved and patients have shorter stays in hospitals
and more surgeries are done on an outpatient basis, individuals have needed
to rely on outside support more and more. Many of Lifeline’s current
users are elderly individuals who live alone or are left alone for long
periods during the day.
“People are at home when they’re at a more vulnerable state
than ever before,” Ashley said. “The primary benefit is if
someone has fallen or injured themselves and they’re alone, they
will receive pretty much immediate assistance. Lifeline allows them to
press a button and get the emergent assistance they need.”
While the service is reasonably priced at $25 to $45 a month depending
on the features clients request, it’s still an expense that can
challenge individuals living on a fixed income. That’s why Campbell
County Health can offer clients the service at a free or reduced rate
based on their income level with the support of funding from the
Campbell County Healthcare Foundation.
When the Foundation created the
Festival of Trees 26 years ago, Lifeline was the first health care service it supported.
Today, as the foundation prepares for the annual event on November 17-19,
Lifeline will once again be a service that benefits from the more than
$100,000 raised during the event.
“The Healthcare Foundation does such a good job of supporting health
care for all ages of people in the community,” said Nachelle McGrath,
executive director of the Campbell County Healthcare Foundation. “We
feel it’s important to support our senior population in keeping
them comfortable in their home for as long as they can.”
Campbell County Health Home Health provides care to patients at home—where
they receive support from trained medical professionals, family, friends,
plus the comfort of familiar surroundings. You can learn more about
Home Health and Hospice services at
www.cchwyo.org/hhh or call 307.688.6230.
Did you know that by supporting Festival of Trees, you support Lifeline
and people just like Mary Ann? The 26th annual
Festival of Trees begins Friday, November 17 at CAM-PLEX Energy Hall, featuring beautifully
decorated trees, wreaths and centerpieces for live and silent auction.
All proceeds benefit
Lifeline,
Close to Home Hospice Hospitality House and the
Campbell County Healthcare Foundation’s PET/CT Capital Campaign. The Festival of Trees is sponsored by
CCH,
Cloud Peak Energy,
White’s Frontier Motors and Rotary. Visit
www.gillettefestivaloftrees.com for a complete schedule of events.
Article written by Kim Phagan-Hansel, Wyoming freelance writer