You Don’t Have to Go It Alone
One Spring Lake Heights woman is eternally thankful for the care Meridian At Home was able to provide for her longtime partner when he neared the end of his life.

Gertrude Satterfield knew that she would have to say good-bye to her beloved Wayne. But having a say in how and where he spent his final months brought immense comfort to both of them.

When 73-year-old Gertrude Satterfield of Spring Lake Heights looks back on the loss of her dear companion Wayne Hartman, she can’t help but reflect on the end of their time together with a mixture of sadness and gratitude. "I could never have done it alone," she acknowledges. "There was no way I could have taken care of Wayne at home if not for the wonderful caregivers of Meridian At Home. They took care of everything for me."

Wayne Hartman, a retired Point Pleasant Beach high school English and social studies teacher, passed away in March 2006 at the age of 86 due to respiratory failure. "In the last few months of Wayne’s life, he made it clear to me that he wanted to be home, not in a nursing home or anywhere else, and I wanted to make sure I granted his wish," Gertrude shares.

A Focused Commitment
Michelle Mendelson, director of Meridian At Home, is very familiar with requests like Wayne’s, for her company is founded on the intent of fulfilling them. "We are committed to providing individualized service options and solutions in order to keep our patients and their families living well and in charge of their lives, throughout their lives, in the comfort and privacy of their own homes," she says. "We know patients want to be home, and we do everything we can to make that possible."

If the number one goal of Meridian At Home is to keep patients safely and comfortably in the home, then the company’s primary philosophy can best be described as providing a full range of multiple services to facilitate at-home care, but all performed by one united, cohesive organization.

That team approach is exactly what assisted Gertrude the most: "You name it, Meridian At Home did it. I was able to take advantage of several in-home services to keep Wayne comfortable at home — everything from traditional skilled home care (visiting nurses and therapists), to medical equipment (lift bed, commode, disposable wash towels) and oxygen, to certified home health aides when a little extra assistance was needed with everyday activities like bathing and feeding."

Gertrude continues, "Wayne’s condition eventually got worse, and we used Meridian At Home’s hospice team, which included certified hospice nurses, social workers, and even their chaplain. The fact that all of these caregivers were members of Meridian Health…I had trust in the fact that the care Wayne was receiving at home was the same level of quality care that would be delivered in Meridian’s hospitals."

Specialized Hospice Care
Gertrude wanted to make sure to single out Meridian At Home’s hospice team. "The hospice nurses supported me every step of the way," she emphasizes. "They were always available, 24 hours a day. If I had questions pertaining to administering Wayne’s medication or needed any other general care advice and instruction, they were there. They were truly a godsend."

The word hospice literally means "a place of shelter." It refers to the type of care provided to support terminally ill patients. Hospice care usually involves relieving the symptoms and offering psychological and social support for the patient and family. The ultimate goal of hospice care is to provide peace, comfort, and dignity for the terminally ill patient.

Once Wayne reached that point, Gertrude herself found peace in knowing she did all she could do. "I know Wayne was happy to be home, surrounded by his family and friends. He wouldn’t have had it any other way. Thanks to Meridian At Home, I was able to meet Wayne’s request."

– Chris Teasdale