Submitted by Tara Montague, Manager, Client and Family Advocacy, NJ (GAO)

Last Tuesday, three of our pediatric clients met with their local legislators to show them what home health care is all about.  Assemblyman Michael Patrick Carroll, from District 25, visited the home of 20 year old client Lily K. out of our Morris Plains Pediatrics (PED) office.  Lily’s mom, Emma, and PED Director Christine Rios shared their thoughts on the necessity of home health care services with the Assemblyman, as they explained Lily’s various needs.  Lily just wanted him to play catch with her.

The second visit of the day, was to the home of two clients from the Passaic County Pediatrics (PCP) office.  Dawn Moeller, mom to clients Zak and Tyler, invited Senator Gerald Cardinale into their home to share what it’s like to have not one, but two children who are medically fragile and

require nursing care.  The Senator talked to the boys and then sat down at the kitchen table with Dawn, as well as Clinical Manager Rachel Faber and Client Service Manager AnneMarie Desantis and had an honest conversation about the needs of their family and others who are medically complex.  The Senator even asked Dawn to stay in touch with him by email so he could help.