OSKALOOSA — Mahaska Health Partnership Home Health Aide program celebrates its 40th Anniversary this month. A group of Mahaska County residents spent two years exploring the need for a home health aide program and their dream was realized in July 1968.

Originally known as the Mahaska County Homemaker Health Aide Service, the program was started with a $500 grant from the Iowa State Department of Health. According to archived minutes, the original director, Ruth M. Mayr, worked from her home until office space was made available on the fourth floor of Mahaska Hospital.

After spending time training and learning how other home health offices operated, the first aides were placed in patient homes in February 1969. From February through June, aides provided 728 hours of service to patients and their families.

Today, home health aides at MHP attend to 386 patients. “The need for home health aide services has increased significantly over the years,” Denise Howe, RN, Community Health Coordinator, said. “Patients do not stay in the hospital as long as they used to so they need someone to continue to care for them when they go home.”

Howe said that from the beginning, home health aides have offered a wonderful, personalized service. Patients still receive this high level of quality care and today, the services available to them have greatly expanded.

“All of our home health aides receive annual training in a variety of areas, including CPR, assistive devices and wound care,” Howe said. “Each aide is supervised by a registered nurse, so our patients have at least two staff looking after them.”

Some of the many services patients with a home health aide enjoy include:

• Assisting with personal cares such as bathing and dressing

• Meal preparation

• Assistance with ambulation

• Laundry

• Errands and grocery shopping

• Light housekeeping

“The role of a home health aide is very valuable to our patients and their families,” Howe stressed. “The aides often become a big part of their patients’ lives, and family members have piece of mind knowing their loved one is being well cared for.”

People who may benefit from the care of a home health aide include those who have recently been released from the hospital and those who need someone to check in on them. Patients can request home health aide services through a physician or personal referral. Payment is billed to Medicare, Title 19, private insurance, private pay or workman’s compensation waivers through DHS, as appropriate.

If you or someone you know would benefit from home health services, call MHP Community Health at (641) 673-3257 or visit the Web site at www.mahaskahealth.com for more information.