Ecumen Home Care-Lakeshore Receives Customer Experience Award From National Customer Satisfaction Survey Firm
Ecumen Home Care-Lakeshore has received the 2015 Customer Experience AwardTM from Pinnacle Quality Insight, a national healthcare customer satisfaction measurement company.
A Close Look at How Home Care Helps Seniors Age in Place
Most seniors want to stay in their homes as long as they can, and home care is usually a less expensive option than going to a nursing home.
An in-depth article by Duluth News Tribune Reporter John Lundy takes a look at home care services in the Duluth area, including Ecumen Home Care-Lakeshore.
Heidi Laura, director of home care for Ecumen Home-Lakeshore, tells Lundy that home care “is a lot better financial option for many people.” Some people don’t need around-the-clock supervision — just a little help around the house or medical services that can easily be provided in the home.
Ecumen Home Care – Twin Cities Inaugurates New Office Space
Ecumen Home Care - Twin Cities held an open house Nov. 17, 2014, to show off its expanded new offices at 199 Coon Rapids Boulevard, Suite 111, in Coon Rapids, Minn.
PICTURED AT RIGHT, Frances Fernandez, Director of Ecumen Home Care -Twin Cities, and Terry Mahar, Ecumen Regional Director of Home Care and Hospice, welcome open house guests with cake and refreshments.
Ecumen Home Care - Twin Cities is a Medicare-certified home health agency that provides medical and non-medical home care services for the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area to help older adults live independently longer in their homes.
Medical home health care is prescribed skilled care provided by a licensed medical professional. Non-medical care assists with daily activities and functions, such as homemaking, personal care and social wellness.
In addition to the Twin Cities area, Ecumen Home Care is a licensed provider serving older Minnesota residents in the Duluth, Litchfield and Mankato.
Ecumen Names Terry Mahar Regional Director of Home Care, Hospice and Adult Day Services
Terry Mahar, a healthcare executive with more than 34 years of experience, has been named to the newly created post of regional director of home care, hospice and adult day services at Ecumen.
Mahar comes to Ecumen from Eide Bailly, where for the past 15 years he was a healthcare consulting senior manager in the Sioux Falls, S.D., office, specializing in home health, hospice, private-duty care, acute hospital care and skilled nursing.
Prior to his job at Eide Bailly, Mahar worked for the Altru Health System in North Dakota as manager of their home care, hospice and personal care group, where he grew the business and improved its financial performance. He began his career as a registered nurse at United Hospital in Grand Forks, N.D., then moved into United’s home health and hospice division, first in direct care and then as a hospice patient care coordinator. He has clinical experience in skilled nursing, home health, hospice, personal care services, and coronary and intensive care.
“Terry’s mandate is to grow and develop Ecumen’s in-home services at a time when many more seniors are opting to age in place,” said Shelley Kendrick, Ecumen vice president of operations.
Currently, Ecumen has four home care agencies — in Duluth, Litchfield, Mankato and the Twin Cities. Kendrick said in addition to growing and improving the current agencies, Mahar will also be evaluating opportunities to open new home health care agencies at other Ecumen sites.
Mahar has both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in nursing from the University of North Dakota. He served as president of the North Dakota Hospice Organization for seven years and on the board of directors of the Grand Forks Senior Citizens Association for eight years. Mahar and his family live in Brandon, S.D.
Ecumen Expands Its Home Care Services with Acquisition of Covenant Companies
Ecumen has expanded its Ecumen At Home-Twin Cities home care operations with the acquisition of Covenant Companies in Coon Rapids.
“This acquisition is integral to our mission of creating home for older adults wherever they choose to live,” said Kari Everson, executive director of Ecumen at Home. “Another valuable benefit of this acquisition is that our Twin Cities home care service is now Medicare-certified, which opens a new seamless service option for our customers.”
“This certification allows us to serve people in their homes who are transitioning from a hospital stay or otherwise require care covered by their Medicare benefit,” Everson said. “It also allows us to provide therapy services as well as other Medicare coverable services in our Ecumen housing communities throughout the Twin Cities. This creates more ease and convenience for our customers.”
Everson said research shows that the vast majority of people want to remain in their homes as long as possible as they age, and Ecumen is committed to continued development of its home care services to meet this need.