Alpha Omega Home Health, LLC is a Medicare-certified, skilled home health & private duty services, agency; serving Michigan'’s “Thumb”.
We provide our patients with a variety of services, all in the comforting environment of their own home. The provided services are as follows: Skilled Nursing, Physical and Occupational Therapy, Home Health Aide, and Social Work.
We also provide Private Pay Home Health Aide services, for those who only need bathing, assistance with medications or exercises. For those who need additional assistance, or supervision, we can provide nurse aide services up to 24 hours/day!
We offer our patients help with transportation, and we have a licensed beautician that will come to your home!
We accept Medicare, Medicaid, Blue Cross, and numerous other insurance types. Most of our services are paid for by the insurance companies.
Our Credentials include:
Owner's Biography
Awards
Joanne Sopko, RN earned her Bachelor’s degree in Nursing in 1979 from Oakland University in Rochester, MI. After graduation and passing the State licensure examination, she worked on an Oncology unit at Providence for about two years.
Joanne began working in home health care in 1981, a week after she and Steve got married. They lived in the Detroit suburbs then, and she worked making home visits in the inner city of Detroit for about 1 ½ years. She then transferred to another office within the same company, working closer to home in Macomb County. After seven years ‘in the field’ providing home visits and training nurses new to home health services, she went to work as a supervisor for Beaumont Hospital's Home Care company. A year later, in 1987, she and Steve moved to Caseville Township.
Joanne worked in various agencies in managerial roles and directorships in the Thumb area from 1987 on. Steve worked as a Social Worker for Huron Behavioral Health. Joanne completed her Master's degree in Nursing Administration at Saginaw Valley State University in 1997.
Steve and Joanne raised their two daughters in the "Thumb", one graduated from Caseville High School and is now attending SVSU, the other is attending USA High School. What a great place to raise kids!
Steve had to retire in the late 1990'’s due to health problems. In order to be able to help more at home, Joanne incorporated Alpha Omega Home Health, LLC in July of 2004. While the company ‘got up and running’, Joanne also held part time positions working on the Medical/Surgical unit at Huron Medical Center in Bad Axe and teaching Nursing in the "RN to BSN" program for University of Phoenix Online. However, now Alpha Omega Home Health, LLC, solely employs her.
The Sopko family had several opportunities to experience their own company's services while Steve's Mom lived with them. It was a blessing to have the help as, even though Joanne is a nurse, it's difficult to be objective about those you love.
Joanne stated, "“It is a great blessing to be able to meet the needs of my family and serve our patients while also giving back to the community that has been so good to us! We are grateful to God for the success of our agency, named after Him – He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end!”"
Alpha Omega Home Health was granted the Home Health Quality Improvement Initiative participation award for 2010-2011 . To earn this award, Alpha Omega has been employing every known technique to assure our patients benefit from "best practices". Best practices are ways to improve the health outcomes experienced by our patients. Joanne Sopko, RN, the owner of Alpha Omega Home Health, stated, "our goal is to provide the very best possible care we can. We're human, but we have lots of experience and try really hard!"
Alpha Omega Home Health was named to the 2007 HomeCare Elite, a compilation of the most successful Medicare-certified home health care providers in the United States! This annual review identifies the top 25% of agencies , ranked by an analysis of performance measures in quality outcomes, quality improvement and financial performance . Alpha Omega Home Health, LLC was the only agency in the Thumb or Bay City/Saginaw/Midland area to receive this NATIONAL honor!
You'll be on the right road to recovery with our health care services!
Nurses evaluate our patients to assure that they are responding well to the medications and treatments prescribed by their physicians. We want to prevent complications, when possible, and catch those that do occur as early as possible, to prevent further hospitalizations, and keep patients living at home.
Our Nurses teach patients and their families about the disease processes involved, medications, treatments and symptoms to report. There is a Registered Nurse available to our patients 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, including weekends and holidays. We will provide assistance needed over the telephone, and make visits to established patients when needed.
One of many things Nurses can help with is treatments ordered by Physicians. These include, but are not limited to wound care, bandage changes, intravenous (IV) therapy, urinary catheter changes, tube feedings, and tracheostomy care. When appropriate, we teach family members portions or all of the care needed by the Patient. Of course, the Nurse supervises the care then provided by the family members until absolutely sure that it is being provided well, and all questions and concerns have been answered! Even when the patient or family is performing the ordered treatments, the Nurse continues to evaluate the patients response to the treatment, in case any changes are needed.
Back to Services page
Physical and Occupational Therapy can be provided in the home to help the Patient to function better and with less pain. In general, Physical Therapy is provided to the lower extremities, and Occupational Therapy is provided to the upper extremities, but there are many exceptions to those generalities!
Therapists use exercises or "modalities" to help Patients recover. Modalities include ultrasound, Accudyne and neurostimulation. These use various forms of deep heat, sound waves or electricity to lessen pain or speed recovery.
Physical Therapy can help with strengthening after a surgery, a fracture or injury. When an existing diagnosis, such as Arthritis, gets worse, Physical Therapy can often help make it better again. They can also help with balance for those who have been falling often. They usually achieve these goals through progressive exercises, and sometimes through treatments such as ultrasound, massage or electrical stimulation.
Occupational Therapy usually works with the hands, arms and shoulders. They also work to adapt activities that have become difficult due to a disability. For example, when a person can'’t use one of their arms, it gets quite difficult to tie their shoes. The Occupational Therapist would teach the Patient different ways to keep them independent in that task.
Social Workers help link patients to community resources and occasionally provide brief counseling to patients.
Often, Patients need assistance meeting needs brought up by their illness – paying for medications, deciding on long-term plans, etc. The Social Worker will help the Patient find the options available to them, then decide amongst those options. After the resources are in place, the Social Worker checks back to assure they are working well for the patient.
A Home Health Aide provides bathing and other personal care needed by patients. They may also do simple medical treatments such as changing simple bandages, or putting ointment on a wound. If needed, they may provide light housekeeping, prepare meals or assist with other homemaking type tasks.
Insurance will only pay for a Home Health Aide if the Patient meets the other qualifications. That is, a Patient must be "homebound", under the care of a physician and need the services of a Nurse or Therapist, only then will the insurance pay for the personal care provided by a Home Health Aide.
Many families struggle, knowing their Mom or Dad needs more help, yet being responsible for their jobs, raising their children, and often living at a distance from their parents. Private duty home health is a great solution - as often as you need it each week, and the visit length and duties are at your discretion!
Patients can trust and depend on their Alpha Omega aide. We can provide as little as a “bath visit” , all the way up to 24 hour services. These aides make home visits at the request of patients and families. They perform the tasks requested by the patient - assistance with bathing, dressing, toileting, transfers, walking, exercises. The briefest visits are usually for the purposes of bathing and morning care. Or, the visits can last up to 24 hours/day.
No physician orders are needed unless the Patient has a private insurance policy, and the insurance company requires it. Such insurance policies are generally specific to "Nursing Home Care" or "Home Health Care". Unfortunately, Medicare, Medicaid, and other insurances do not cover this type of care.
Whether it's to the pharmacy, Christmas shopping, or a physician's appointment, we would be happy to provide transportation! We can use your car (it must be in good repair and have current insurance), or our car.
Our staff will help you get ready, walk to the car, get into the car, into the appointment, wait with you, help you back into the car, then into your home. As much or as little help as you want or need.
If we use your car, we do not charge mileage, just our regular hourly rate. If we use our car, we charge mileage in addition to our hourly rate. There is no limit on the travel distance, day or time of the appointment. We are here to serve.
Our licensed, experienced beautician can come to your home and provide the "Beauty Shop" at your convenience. She can provide hair cuts, perms, color, style, you name it!
We can easily arrange a gift certificate for Beautician services in any amount you would like, it's a great gift!
With Home Care you can . . .
* Prevent Hospitalization.
* Get BETTER Faster!
* Go home earlier from the hospital.
* Understand which symptoms need to be reported.
* Worry less about your ill or elderly loved one!
* Prevent Complications of your illness.
CALL US! Toll Free: (866) 976-8686
Please Note: Each of the studies below shows home health care not only improves patient outcomes, but saves health care costs as well!
What research has shown about the benefits of home health care:
A research study published in 2011 "compared Medicare patients who had home health services after hospitalization to similar patients who received other post-hospital/post-acute care (PAC) services. The study examined total Medicare spending from October 2006 –September 2009. They found
(1) Home health provides savings for all its patients, but generates the MOST savings for the sickest patients.
(2) Patients who received home health services were LESS likely to be rehospitalized than similar patients who received other health services after hospitalization.
(3) Medicare spending on these home health users was $2.81 Billion LESS than it would have been if they had received other types of health care services.This estimate controls for differences in the Medicare beneficiaries’ age, sex, race, urban/rural location, condition, severity of illness, dual-eligible status, and hospice utilization.
In another study, patients who had hip fractures showed that having home health services after they were released from the hospital was associated with a 42% lower risk of nursing home admission, and a 65% less risk of hospitalization in the year following the hip fracture2. They were compared with people who did not receive any services after the hospitalization or those who only went to a rehabilitation facilty after their hip fracture.
Another study3 was pretty complicated, but very interesting. They looked at patients with four different diseases - stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), congestive heart failure (CHF), hip procedures, and hip fracture. The patients were from 52 hospitals in three cities. Their goal was to estimate the costs and benefits associated with discharge to the type of care that was estimated to produce the greatest improvement. They checked on these patients at hospital discharge, six weeks, six months, and one year. In general, patients discharged to nursing homes fared worst and those sent home with home health care or to rehabilitation did best. The study also noted that because the cost of rehabilitation is high, greater use of home care could result in improved outcomes at modest or no additional cost.
Heart failure patients who received home health care were found to live almost twice as long with fewer unplanned hospitalizations than the group who did not recieve home health care4. The study also concluded that home health care is remarkably cost-effective.
A British study5 found that home health care enabled early discharge from the hospital setting and provided significant cost savings as well.
A study6 of patients found it to be safe and cost-effective for patients who had heart bypass surgery to go home a day earlier with home health services.
References.docx
We serve Huron, Tuscola and parts of Sanilac Counties . This area is commonly called "the Thumb" of Michigan.
Towns Served (in alphabetical order):
Akron
Argyle
Bach
Bad Axe
Bay Park
Bay Port
Berne
Bradleyville
Caro
Caseville
Cass City
Colling
Colwood
Dayton
Daytona Branch
Deford
Denmark Junction
East Dayton
Elkton
Ellington
Elmwood
Fairgrove
Filion
Fostoria
Gagetown
Gilford
Glencoe
Grindstone City
Harbor Beach
Helena
Hemans
Huron City
Ivanhoe
Juniata
Karrs Corner
Kilmanagh
Kinde
Kingston
Lewisville
Linkville
Marlette
Mayville
Millington
Minden City
Oakhurst
Owendale
Parisville
Pigeon
Pinnebog
Pointe Aux Barques
Popple
Port Austin
Port Crescent
Port Hope
Quanicassee
Quarry
Rapson
Redman
Reese
Richville
Rose Island
Ruth
Sebewaing
Silverwood
Thomas
Tuscola
Ubly
Unionville
Valley Island
Vassar
Verona
Wahjamega
Watrousville
Weale
White Rock
Wilmot
Wisner
ADDRESS:
120 Mullen Street
P.O. Box 127
Elkton, MI 48731
PHONE:
Local: 1-989-375-4444
Toll Free: 1-866-976-8686
FAX:
989-375-4409
EMAIL:
AlphaOmegaHH_yahoo.com
We are always seeking extraordinary individuals to join our staff. Please email, fax or mail an application to the sources above.
Click for a job application form:
job application.pdf
HHA CENA job application.pdf
Just CALL Us! (989) 375-4444 or toll free at (866) 976-8686 . We take care of all the details – we get orders from the doctor, bill the insurance, everything!
Don’t worry if you are not sure if home care will help you. Call us, tell us your situation, and we will call your doctor if we think we can help you. If we can’t help you, we will do our best to help you find something that will help you! We want to be of service.
Back to FAQ Page
< back
Medicare is the most common payment source for skilled home health services. Several other insurance companies use Medicare criteria to decide if someone qualifies for home health services. If you have any doubts if you qualify –- call us! (989) 375-4444 or 866-976-8686
Medicare has the following requirements for home health care:
The Patient must met all of these requirements to qualify for Medicare payment for services.
The definition of ‘homebound’ has changed a LOT in recent years, mostly because Medicare realized how much money home health services saves them! Generally, they look for the following:
The Patient must require the assistance of a person or device to leave the home, here are some examples (the people in all of these examples ARE homebound):
-OR- leaving home may make their symptoms worse. For example, it may make their pain worse, their heart symptoms worse, or make them very short of breath. It may just make them very fatigued. These people are homebound.
-OR- it must be medically “contraindicated” (a bad idea) to leave home. There are people who cannot fight off infections easily (if they are taking chemotherapy for cancer, etc.), or who have an open wound. These people are also homebound.
Skilled home health care is mostly for more acutely ill people, generally after discharge from the hospital or nursing home. The services are directed by the physician, nurse and any therapists involved (with the patient/family's input, of course!). Services are 'medically necessary', ordered by a physician and usually paid for by health insurance. The patient meets "homebound" criteria.
Private duty home care is usually provided to patients whose conditions are more stable. Typically they need less skilled services, such as assistance with bathing, eating, dressing, or a nurse to set up their pills for the week. Insurance companies consider such services 'custodial', not " medically necessary", and are paid for by the patient/family and some insurance policies purchased specifically for that purpose.
Our patient bill of rights is designed to recognize, protect, and promote the rights or each patient to be treated with dignity and respect. Our Patient or their representative may exercise these rights. Patients have the right . . .
ADDRESS
Local: 989-375-4444
Toll Free: 866-976-8686
FAX: 989-375-4409
EMAIL
Call Us! We'd love to help you! 1-866-976-8686
