Commentary: SEARHC’s closure of Home Health is topic of community forum

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Hello, my name is Auriella Hughes, and I’m the founding director of Brave Heart Volunteers and a nurse who has worked closely with elders throughout my entire 45-year nursing career.

Hello, my name is Dr. Marilyn Coruzzi. As an internist, I provided care to patients for over 40 years — 15 in Sitka — prior to retiring in 2018. SEARHC had an excellent Home Healthcare department, which it chose to close with fairly short notice to the community on September 30, 2023. The nurses involved included three dedicated full-time, and several intermittent nurses to cover unavoidable absences. They coordinated ongoing services, such as wound care, physical, occupational and speech therapy, palliative care, that is pain and comfort management, supportive and time of death care for the dying patient and family. Referrals for social services and grief counseling were made as well.

And now we hear that there are fewer Home Health-dedicated employees.

Now we hear an unclear plan for providing palliative and supportive care for those choosing to die at home.

Now we hear there are reduced home services. For instance, a patient suffering Parkinson’s Disease was receiving at least four home visits a week, which ended even before the closure of Home Health. This patient presently has no home visits, and must travel to Mountainside Clinic for once-a-week physical therapy.

Now we hear patients now receiving home-based services will begin to incur a charge per visit.

In light of Sitka’s aging population, and in light of studies showing that nurse-coordinated services after hospitalization reduce emergency room visits and negative outcomes. The question is: Is search prepared for the present and future home-based health care needs of our community?

We strongly encourage you to attend the community informational forum November 15, 5-7 p.m. at Harrigan Centennial Hall regarding the closure by SEARHC of the Home Healthcare department.