Veteran Home Care nurse Colleen Lindblad RN has launched a new blog that provides support for caregivers, and is appropriately titled http://supportforcaregiver.blogspot.com/.  Although this is a new initiative for Colleen, it is based on expertise that she has gained over her 25 years as an RN in Home Health and Home Care.   In addition to running an agency that provides home care, and home health therapy services, she started a support group for Adult Children of Aging parents that meets on the 4th Wednesday of every month at 94 West Main Street Suite 202 in Bayshore NY 11706.

I asked Colleen why she started the blog, and here's what she told me:

"I started the Blog in an attempt to educate the general public in how to access the best health care to fit their needs. Most often I meet the adult child (usually the adult daughter) in a crisis mode. Either the parent is hospitalized or had a significant change in their condition requiring more care than the family can manage. Also families are juggling work responsibilities,their children and aging parents. This can become a burden that burns people out. If the education process starts in advance people are in a better place to make decisions." 

Among Colleen's first postings, you can find the following:

• Family Caregiving Tools for Survival
• An overview of Medicare Home Health Care
• Caregiver Support Group led by Colleen Lindblad, R.N.

What Can Home Care Agencies Learn from This?

We talk a lot about home care entrepreneurship on this blog and Colleen gives us a great example of "social entrepreneurship in home care."  There are many companies who have proven that you can "Do Well by Doing Good."  One of my favorite examples is Ben & Jerry's who in addition to making a fun and delicious product also focus on sustainability (organic ingredients, sustaining farmers, and sourcing ingredients like chocolate from small farmers around the world).  While Colleen didn't set out to help families in order to grow her business, you've got to believe that her efforts lead to referrals and positive word of mouth references.  Perhaps you can support family caregivers in your area?

About Colleen:

Colleen Lindblad has been a Registered Nurse for the past 25 years . She earned a Bachelor of Science Degree from Adelphi University and has worked in various patient care settings including Hospital and Public Health.  Colleen owned her own Licensed Home Care Agency which she sold last year. Currently Colleen isthe Director of Castle Home Care a Licensed Home Care Agency providing professional and paraprofessional care in the home to people home from the hospital and the aging population.

Ankota provides software to improve the delivery of care outside the hospital.  Today Ankota services home health, private duty care, DME Delivery, RT, Physical Therapy and Home Infusion organizations, and is interested in helping to efficiently manage other forms of care.  To learn more, please visit www.ankota.com or contact Ankota