Interim HealthCare

Home care built around one person's abilities on a given day

Interim HealthCare delivers care to people in their own homes, and its offices are locally owned and run, with hiring and business decisions made in the community they serve. Those offices belong to a national network that the company says has operated since 1966. Where a person needs something the office does not provide itself, the office says it will bring in other providers in the area so the family gets the whole picture of care in one place.

Keeping the mind active

A good part of what the company describes is about engagement. Its staff are trained in a cognitive model called GEMS, which rests on the idea that anyone's abilities can shift from one moment to the next. Caregivers therefore adjust the activity to the person instead of following a fixed script. That can mean a simple puzzle or a piece of artwork, or something more involved such as a word game, all chosen to stimulate thinking and add some enjoyment to the day. For clients living with dementia, the company says it also uses methods aimed at easing the anxiety that often comes with the condition.

Daily tasks, nutrition and medication

Help with everyday activities such as bathing and eating sits alongside the more clinical support. Caregivers follow diets ordered by a physician, assist with the full range of daily nutrition, and support medication routines. For people working on their physical goals, the staff carry out exercise and therapy routines that a physician has ordered, with the aim of improving motor function. The company's view is that looking after the body also lifts mood and spirit.

Spirit, family and the wider team

Interim HealthCare says it looks for what gives each client comfort or hope, whether that is a poem, a picture, music, crafts or an uplifting video. It also treats relatives and other caregivers as part of the job, offering advice, resources and a clear sense of what problems to expect and how to manage them. Its leaders can help contact medical providers when attention is warranted. The company markets its approach as holistic care for the mind, body and spirit, supported where relevant by nurses, therapists and social workers, and it lists home care, hospice care, healthcare staffing and specialized care among the options available through its local franchises.

Interim HealthCare is a home care agency in the US, with locally owned offices that belong to a national network in business since 1966. It supports people in their own homes with daily living help, nursing and rehabilitation.

What Interim HealthCare does

• Personal care: help with bathing, eating and other daily activities.
• Dementia and cognitive engagement: puzzles, music and word games that stimulate brain function, based on the GEMS cognitive model.
• Medication and nutrition support: following physician-ordered diets and supporting medication routines.
• Physical therapy routines: exercise routines ordered by a physician to support motor function.
• Hospice and specialised care: hospice and specialised care options alongside healthcare staffing.

Clients

Care is for individuals and their families, and the network also works with other providers in the community when needed.

Key facts

• Operates through: locally owned franchises in the US
• Network since: 1966
• Care model: GEMS cognitive model