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AmeriCare
Means Quality Home Care …
A
nn of Waterford is developmentally
challenged but functions at a high
level. With the onset of a seizure
disorder that developed after a car acci-
dent, her doctors determined she needed
24-hour care to receive a hospital dis-
charge. AmeriStaff Home Nursing Services,
a division of Troy-based AmeriCare
Medical Inc., was selected by the hospital
exit team to supply care in Ann’s apart-
ment.
Joan Littman, Ann’s mentor — “more
like adoptive mother,” according to Ann —
has felt relieved ever since.
“She is safe and has been so well-cared
for,” Littman said. “I’m constantly amazed
by the quality of the staff assigned. Many
have been nursing, social work or other
college students. She is happy, and her
daughter and I have peace of mind.”
That initial AmeriStaff referral has been
crucial to Ann’s independence and quality
of life, as it’s been for thousands of other
clients.
“I have recommended the agency on
many occasions and will continue to do so
in the future,” Littman said.
“Hospitals, including Beaumont, St. Joe’s
in Pontiac, DMC and Oakwood, refer their
discharged patients to us all the time,”
said Gregory Jamian, president/chief
executive officer of AmeriCare Medical,
with partner Gregory Boyajian, the chief
operating officer.
“There are a lot of choices out there,
so this makes us feel good and gives
credibility.”
AmeriCare has been recognized for
providing comprehensive nursing services,
including home health aides, companions,
home helpers and concierge homecare to
Southeastern Michigan residents.
Founders Jamian and Boyajian, who met
BRETT MOUNTAIN
Lisa Pleiness, RN, assistant
director of nursing; Janet
Alderman, RN, clinical
supervisor; Greg Jamian,
president and CEO,
AmeriCare Medical Inc.;
Greg Boyajian, senior
vice president, AmeriCare
in 1956 at Schulze Elementary School in
Northwest Detroit, still attend some school
reunions. Their friendship grew while
competing in bumper pool and swimming
at the Jewish Community Center, nearby
on Meyers at Curtis.
After graduating Cass Tech High School,
Boyajian earned degrees at Michigan State
University and Thomas Cooley Law School.
Jamian, a graduate of Groves High School
in Birmingham, earned an economics
degree at Oakland University.
They decided to team up professionally
in 1980 while Jamian was in the insurance
business and Boyajian worked for a
healthcare company.
“We saw the trend for hospitals to
release patients earlier to the home
setting,” Jamian said. “With our
background, we decided to open a little
company on Washington Street in Royal
Oak,” offering home medical equipment
and nurse staffing at home.
Their AmeriStaff Nursing, one of the
oldest and largest private duty home
nursing services in Michigan, evolved
into AmeriCare Medical, Metro Detroit’s
“premier and dominant provider of home
health services to seniors and many other
patients with various levels of need at
home.”
STILL GROWING
The opportunity to keep growing seems
inevitable.
“With the aging baby boom population,
all these additional people need our
services,” Jamian said. “In 2013, 15
percent of the U.S. population was 65 and
older. That percentage should double in
the next 20 years.”
He added, “The biggest advantage of
in-home care for seniors is that it allows
older adults to age in place and avoid
making the move to an institution.”
Home-based clients recovering from
surgery or dealing with a challenging
healthcare issue also benefit from
AmeriStaff Nursing’s qualified caregivers
and individualized care plans offering a
range of therapeutic services.
Individuals and families have assumed
more responsibility to hire and pay for
homecare services because Medicare
covers increasingly less of the cost. When
such help is needed, AmeriCare Medical
has an advantage over the competition.
“We are a multidisciplinary company,”
Jamian said. “Our homecare nursing
division, AmeriStaff Home Nursing, is our
largest entity.”
The others are Sun Medical Equipment
Co. and Rx IV Infusion Pharmacy.
“Having two other subsidiaries to
handle the healthcare needs of our
clients is convenient when it comes to
medical equipment and supplies as well
as specialty pharmacy services,” he said,
noting that client families don’t need to
coordinate services because everything is
under one roof.
AmeriCare employs 350 prescreened
and qualified caregivers and professionals,
30-40 percent of which have spent
decades with the organization. Employees
are notably reliable. Shift workers
won’t leave a client’s home until their
replacement arrives.
The underwriting and hiring procedures
are very rigorous to become a company
employee. A full human resources
department conducts applicant interviews
in person and performs thorough
background checks.
Families may choose their home health
aides and replace them without additional
cost. Duties include light housekeeping
and cooking as well as homecare services.
Aides escort clients to appointments and
may provide transportation.
“We can provide management of day-
to-day operations in a home,” Jamian said,
and that competency of care especially
reassures clients’ out-of-town adult
children.
The company’s quality care standards
have also been certified by the Community
Health Accreditation Program (CHAP),
and AmeriCare Medical Inc. is nationally
accredited for the highest standards of
excellence in private duty, medical staffing
and home health care.
Jamian cautions against hiring non-
agency caregivers for fear of encountering
predators. Not being able to properly
screen and manage private hires can put
seniors and their property at risk.
An AmeriStaff nurse supervisor goes out
at least once monthly to interview clients
and employees to “spot trends or things
going on in the home that may not be
kosher, and we provide family members
with that information,” Boyajian said. “We
are able to intervene. That’s so important.”
Summing up, he said, “Thirty-five years
of providing home nursing care to families
has taught us that value to our clients
depends on quality upfront. We will never
waiver on that principle.” ■
AmeriCare Medical
1938 Woodslee Drive
Troy, MI 48083
(248) 288-2270
www.americaremedical.com
January 28 • 2016
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