Geriatric Home Care Specialists history

Boston University's Home Medical Service, founded in 1885, is considered to have been the first hospital-based home care program.

VNS Health was founded in 1893 by Lillian Wald, who was not only the first public health nurse but also one of the most influential pioneers in the history of nursing, public health, and social reform.

By the founding of the Instructive Visiting Nurse Society in 1900, only 20 such societies existed in the United States, employing about 130 visiting nurses.

In 1909, the first home health insurance policy was offered by Metropolitan Life, and within the next 15 years, more than 1 million home health nursing visits were covered under the provisions of insurance policies, indicating the high demand for home health services.

First studied in 1928, this remained an unresolved policy dilemma in the United States.

In 1935, the creation of Old Age Assistance (Social Security) rebalanced the locus of care for the chronically ill.

In 1944, the Visiting Nurse Service of New York (VNSNY) was established as an agency separate from the original Henry Street Settlement.

In 1947, she and seven other doctors founded what is now called the British Geriatrics Society.

In 1949, Governor Alfred E. Driscoll, in accordance with Joint Resolution #4 of the 173rd Legislative Session of New Jersey, appointed a Temporary Committee to Study the Problems of Chronic Illness.

In the fall of 1950, a homemaker service specifically designed to meet the needs of long-term patients was begun in Essex County under the sponsorship of the Essex County Medical Society, and it became the model for other agencies.

As a result of the work of this Committee, the Prevention of Chronic Illness Act was enacted in April 1952, the Prevention of Chronic Illness Act (Section 26: 1A-94) “established within the Department of Health.

The first meeting of this ten-member volunteer committee was held on February 2 1953 in the offices of the Division of Chronic Illness Control of the New Jersey State Department of Health.

The Certificate of Incorporation for Passaic County Homemaker Service was signed on September 27, 1954.

The first training class was held in May of 1955.

In May of 1961, the Agency changed its name to Visiting Homemaker Service of Passaic County and has done business as HomeCare Options shortly thereafter.

These regulatory changes, especially those under the federal Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1980 (OBRA), fueled the expanded use of home health care services.

Hospice care for the terminally ill, also delivered in the home, was included in Medicare for the first time in 1982.

The year 1983 was a big one for VNS Health, with the creation of two major programs: Hospice Care and Personal Care.

For Disability Services, Consumer and Applicant Appeals Procedure Questions: Department of Developmental Services, www.dds.ca.gov/general/appeals-complaints-comments/, (916) 654-1987 Notice of Privacy Practices, www.24hrcares.com/notice-of-privacy-practices

Using his recommendations, the Conservative Government then put together the 1989 White Paper, a plan of action for home care including funding, development of needs assessments and expansion of domiciliary, day and respite care.

The National Association for Home Care (1996) offers the following checklist of questions to ask when determining which home care provider to use.

VNS Health expanded offerings for children and families and in 1998 began offering health plans to help people stay in their homes and communities safely and independently.

Scotland made personal care to people aged 65 and over free in July 2002.

A 2004 study found that one in five (22.9 million) United States households were involved in caring for a person older than eighteen.

Karen Buhler-Wilkerson, “Care of the Chronically Ill at Home: An Unresolved Dilemma in Health Policy for the Unites States,” Milbank Quarterly, 85(4) (December 2007): 611-39.

MedStar Health Home Care announced that their District of Columbia Agency has been named a Top Agency of the 2017 HomeCare Elite®, a recognition of the top-performing home health agencies in the United States.