Holzer Home Care Celebrates 50 Years
Retired Nurse Shares Memories of Service Line's Beginnings
On June 24, 1971 Holzer Home Care began offering services in Gallia County, Ohio with a team of two nurses, a director, and a secretary. Fifty years later, Holzer Home Care now provides services in Athens, Gallia, Jackson, Lawrence, Meigs, Pike, Ross, Scioto, and Vinton counties in Ohio and Mason County, West Virginia. The service line employs over 50 individuals including nurses, therapists and aides.
Sara Northup, a nurse who was there at Holzer Home Care’s beginning, recently discussed her experiences and home health in general with a few of our staff members.
"I loved home health," shared Northup. "It was new, and you could see that was where the future of health care was going."
The team in 1971 consisted of Northup, Jean Neal, RN, who was Director of Home Care Services, and Carol Cremeans, RN. They worked for six weeks to develop Holzer Home Care services. Northup shared that the team worked on a grant that Neal then presented. Following approval of the grant, she and Cremeans began making visits shortly thereafter to about seven or eight patients a day.
Northup is a graduate of the Holzer School of Nursing and shared that working for home care prepared her for future employment positions. She remembers teaching diabetic care, showing patient’s family members how to give injections, and how to change wound dressings. Northup said that her favorite memory over the course of the three years she was with Holzer Home Care, was one of her first home visits.
"One patient’s driveway had a tree on each side of it, and I figured if the patient could get through then so could I," said Northup. "I got my Thunderbird stuck in the driveway between both trees. It’s funny to reflect on that situation now."
Holzer has been providing quality home care services through a compassionate and caring staff base for the past 50 years. Changes in technology have helped the service line make advancements in care to the patients served. The expansion of the service line across multiple counties has also allowed it to grow, despite struggles during the COVID-19 pandemic.
When asked what advice Northup would share with current home care staff she shared, "When visiting with a patient, provide your knowledge – not your opinion. No matter how long a patient wants to talk, listen and take the time to be there for them. Don’t rush."
Holzer’s dedicated home care team works closely with your physician to develop a comprehensive care plan tailored to your needs, beginning with a careful assessment of your health needs and home environment so complete care can be safely provided. Holzer Home Care consistently receives high marks for quality care and patient satisfaction, and most recently was awarded a five-star rating designated by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Holzer Home Care provides quality, compassionate home care services including skilled nursing care, aide services, physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy.
For more information on Holzer Home Care services, call 1-888-225-1135.
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Shown pictured in the top photo, from left to right: Amy Shadle, Secretary; Ramona Jenkins, RN, BSN, Director, Holzer Home Care; Florence Curtis, Community Educator; Sara Gore, Community Educator; Sara Northup; Brittany Kirby, RN, BSN, CFSL; Robert Massie, Vice President, Post-Acute Care; and Vicki Jordan, Intake Coordinator (and niece of Sara Northup).
