Home Health team offers an expert helping hand

Mary Holmquist was taking care of an ordinary chore one day in January when her world turned upside down. The 78-year-old Redmond woman slipped on black ice while walking to the end of her driveway and fell- hard.

"The first thing I thought was, 'I broke my back,'" Holmquist said. Her sister drove her to the emergency room at St. Charles Redmond where it was determined she had broken three vertebrae in her back. Holmquist stayed in the hospital overnight, but she was anxious to get home to her small dog, Buttons. Through the St. Charles Home Health program, Holmquist has been able to recuperate from her accident mostly at home.

In the beginning, nurses came by the house to check on her. Now, Holmquist uses the Home Health telemonitoring program to check her own blood pressure, blood oxygen levels and weight. The data is sent to an expert at the Home Health office who immediately contacts her if something seems wrong.

Home Health physical therapist Sam Gleason visits Holmquist twice a week to conduct ultrasound therapy and exercises. "We're working on strengthening all the muscles that are important in walking so she doesn't have anymore falls," Gleason said during a recent visit. She praised Holmquist for her improvements and gently admonished her for picking up Buttons - something she's not yet supposed to do.

"She is so good and gentle," Holmquist said of Gleason. "I'm going to miss her when they say I don't need her anymore."

Allen Stevenson feels the same way about his Home Health nurse Gayle Boley who he called his "angel." Boley took care of Stevenson after he nearly died from a ruptured aortic aneurysm. "With all the support services we provided he overcame his illness, healed and is where he is now, walking around and smiling," Boley said.