An Ever-Blossoming Relationship
Meridian Home Care's continuum of care and team approach allow retirees like this avid gardener to continue enjoying all the pleasures of home.

Retired doctor Richard Ryan of Brielle knows what's good for him: being at home, among his loving family and amid his beloved backyard garden.

Over 30 photo albums filled with shots of beautiful hand-nurtured wildflowers and plants fill the home of 75-year-old retired radiologist Richard Ryan, M.D. "Gardening is my passion," he confides from his home in Brielle. "Every year, my backyard gets more crowded. I enjoy seeing the plants mature and bloom, but I equally enjoy taking photographs to capture it all. My family and my home mean everything to me," Richard continues, "and each season brings me not only more pictures, but more enjoyment too."

Richard is thankful for all the enjoyment he has experienced since being diagnosed 20 years ago with Parkinson's disease, a brain disorder that occurs when certain brain cells become impaired, resulting in reduced functioning of the body's muscles and movements. In the United States alone, approximately 1.5 million adults currently have Parkinson's disease, with about 60,000 new cases being diagnosed each year.

A Progressive Continuum of Care
It hasn't been all roses for Richard. He's been consistently treated by the Meridian network since August 2004, when an admission at Jersey Shore University Medical Center was followed by a two-week stay at Meridian Nursing & Rehabilitation at Brick. Richard was then able to return home, where he has been expertly attended to by Meridian Home Care for going on two years now.

Paul Silbert, M.D., a neurologist from Jersey Shore, oversees Richard's residential care and always keeps abreast of how his patient is doing throughout what Meridian calls its "continuum of care." The actual hands-on at-home care is provided by talented and skilled professionals who give Richard the extra help he now needs to maintain his independence and remain in the house he loves so much. "The caregivers who stay with me in my home are truly part of the family. They are the best," Richard exclaims.

Team Spirit
It's the team approach that Meridian Home Care employs that makes it such a beneficial and trustworthy service. For example, certified home health aide Carol Bass has stayed with Richard and his wife, Mary, every night for the past two years from 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. Then, at 9:00 a.m., Tina Latimora, a certified home health aide with Meridian Home Care for three years, arrives to spend every weekday with the Ryans until 3:00 p.m., as well as weekends from 8:00 a.m. to noon. "I feel like a part of Doc's family," Tina claims. "I've come to share his love for gardening. We both look forward to working in his beautiful yard, spending more time outside than inside!"

Dedicated caregivers like Carol and Tina have been providing patients with personalized at-home care for more than 14 years through Meridian Home Care. As Cathy McCudden, director of sales and marketing for the company, explains, "All of our home health aides are certified. They're compassionate, reliable, and responsive to patient needs. Not only can our aides perform food preparation, personal care, housekeeping, and shopping, but they also supplement the care provided by other members of the Home Care staff, including nurses, social workers, and a variety of therapists."

Cathy stresses that Meridian Home Care's overarching goal is to meet of the clientele's needs. "To do so, we offer various services, like skilled nursing care, certified home health aides/homemakers, live-in services, physical therapy, speech therapy, and home monitoring and emergency response services."

"I don't know what I would do without the team that is here to help me every day," says Richard. "Thanks to them, I have been able to stay at home, where I can enjoy my garden and keep taking my photographs."

– Chris Teasdale