Home-based care has been gaining popularity in the country. Initially, many people were skeptical of the model, pointing to the undue stress it could cause caregivers, who are often friends or family members who volunteer to support people struggling with illness or aging. Organizations like AARP even called for in-depth studies on the impact of home-based care on caregivers.
DispatchHealth conducted a study seeking to answer just this question. Researchers administered 22-question surveys to 44 primary caregivers across 11 markets in nine states. The caregivers cared for patients with an average age of 78 and an average of 11 co-morbid conditions. Survey results showed that 95 percent of caregivers preferred providing home-based care versus working in hospitals, with up to 68 percent having a strong preference for it. Further, 92 percent of caregivers found home-based care less stressful than in-hospital care, care while 86 percent felt home-based made them more informed of their patients’ daily care plans.
0 Comments
The Spartanburg County Foundation was founded in 1943. It provides grants to organizations that enhance the quality of life of Spartanburg County residents. In its over 80 years of existence, it has distributed more than $160 million in grants. One of its grants is the continuous improvement grant for 501(c)(3) nonprofits.
Continuous improvement grants go toward initiatives that improve the quality of life of county residents by increasing access to community and cultural programs or strengthening physical and mental health. The grants also support education and economic mobility programs. The Spartanburg County Foundation gives as much as $25,000 to individual organizations as a continuous improvement grant every year. In 2023, some of the recipients of this grant included Children’s Cancer Partners of the Carolinas, which received $21,400 to expand cancer support services to families, and Christmas in Action Spartanburg, which received $15,000 to undertake critical home repairs for rural homeowners. Other organizations that received this grant in 2023 include Make a Wish Foundation of Spartanburg County ($5,000), Immigrant Connection Spartanburg ($5,000), and The Period Project ($10,000). Nonprofits interested in receiving this grant can apply to the Spartanburg County Foundation at spcf.org/grants-and-scholarships/.
Over 63 million Americans volunteered in 2023. Volunteer work offers several personal and professional rewards and benefits, such as a sense of purpose and fulfillment. Volunteers impact the lives of others in society, especially in their communities. The impact boosts the sense of happiness and satisfaction of volunteers. Helping others can also boost confidence and self-esteem. Engaging in volunteer work can also reduce stress and anxiety. Helping people or institutions like schools, hospitals, and community programs shifts the focus of volunteers away from personal issues. Volunteer work creates a mental break and offers new perspectives. In addition, volunteers can form new friendships that inspire a sense of belonging, reducing loneliness and isolation. Most volunteer tasks are physical, meaning they can promote a more active lifestyle. Neighborhood and beach clean-ups help volunteers overcome a sedentary lifestyle. Then, it positively influences mental health alongside more physical activity, which promotes a healthy lifestyle and overall well-being. Caleb Fort is a diverse business and community leader in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Among his numerous local administrative roles, Caleb Fort has sat on the board of managers of the South Carolina (SC) Historical Society.
The SC Historical Society operates its namesake museum in downtown Charleston. This National Historic Landmark building houses a broad variety of historical artifacts and educational displays to help visitors learn about South Carolina’s past. On July 18, 2023, the SC Historical Society Museum began admitting visitors free of charge if they are enrolled in the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Specifically, as many as two adults and two children in any group can enter the museum for free. They are simply required to present a valid government-issued identification card, along with their SNAP electronic benefits transfer card at the time of entry. The South Carolina Department of Social Services (DDS) has partnered with the SC Historical Society Museum to make this free admission possible. The DDS has also extended free admission to local attractions ranging from the Columbia Museum of Arts to the South Carolina Aquarium. Seasoned health care executive Caleb Fort serves as the president of QMX Mobile Health, a digital radiography services provider headquartered in Winston Salem, North Carolina. When not working, Caleb Fort enjoys hiking.
North Carolina is known for mountains full of adventure-packed hiking trails. There are over 900 miles of combined hiking trails across the state, many of which are quite popular with hikers. Located within the famous Great Smoky Mountain National Park, the Clingmans Dome Observation Tower Hiking Trail is a 1.3-mile, out-and-back, moderately difficult trail that leads to Tennessee’s highest peak. At the observation tower, hikers have a 360-degree view of the Smokies and the Spruce Fir Forest. Looking Glass Rock is another out-and-back trail located within the Pisgah National Forest. The 5.7-mile trail leads hikers to a panoramic view of the rock walls of the Blue Ridge Mountains. At the end of the trail, hikers can recharge and enjoy the sun on a huge, curve-shaped surface. The 2.9-mile loop trail known as Triple Falls Trail can be completed in just over an hour of hiking. Within a third of a mile, hikers encounter a three-step falls. At the one-mile mark, the trail follows the river leading to the base of High Falls. The trail continues on toward the top, where hikers enjoy an overlooking view of the area. From here, the trail continues to a gravel road, a covered bridge, and a wooded area, eventually ending in a parking area for horse trailers. The president of QMX Mobile Health, Caleb Fort leads an on-site imaging and diagnostics provider serving nursing homes and assisted living communities in the Carolinas. In addition, Caleb Fort supports various chambers of commerce and is a member of the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce.
The South Carolina Chamber of Commerce is the leading voice of businesses in South Carolina. It promotes pro-business and pro-jobs policies in the state. In April 2023, the organization was working to support the passage of the South Carolina Justice Act, an initiative to reform the state’s lawsuit laws. As it stands, a court in South Carolina can order a defendant in a civil suit to pay all the damages incurred, even if they were only partially liable for the injuries occasioned to the plaintiff. In practice, the attorneys of plaintiffs take advantage of the current law to get big payouts from businesses in lawsuits. This disproportionately affects small businesses, especially those in the construction, trucking, and fast food industries, which are the subject of many tort lawsuits. As a result, small businesses have to pay high premiums to insurers to protect against adverse lawsuit outcomes. Those that cannot pay these premiums are left exposed to adverse court verdicts and can even go out of business because of them. The South Carolina Justice Act seeks to correct this. If passed by the state legislature, defendants in civil suits who are below 50 percent liable for an accident will only pay damages proportionate to their share of fault. This will create a fairer environment for South Carolina businesses. A resident of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Caleb Fort is an experienced executive with a distinguished career in the healthcare industry. Since 2014, Caleb Fort has served as president of QMX Mobile Health/Quality Mobile Xray, Inc., which offers on-site imaging and diagnostics for the nursing home and assisted living industry across North Carolina. QMX also offers on-site dysphagia evaluation services.
QMX Mobile Health offers on-site dysphagia system tests (DST), which are comprehensive, research-backed tools for assessing a patient's body systems for potential complications of dysphagia and response to treatment. Dysphagia is a medical condition characterized by difficulty swallowing, persistent drooling of saliva, coughing or choking when drinking or eating, regurgitation of food, and the sensation of food getting stuck in the throat or chest. Multiple pathological factors are connected to dysphagia. Thus, a thorough dysphagia evaluation requires an assessment of the respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, muscles, central nervous system, and peripheral nervous system. DST assesses all these key areas and presents results on a 7-point scale. Physicians and other health professionals can use the outcome of QMX's DST to manage a patient's dysphagia and modify treatment plans when necessary. A resident of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Caleb Fort has been active in several charitable, educational, and civic organizations. He is a past president of the board of the SC Governors School of Science and Math Foundation. Caleb Fort serves as the president of QMX Mobile Health, where he oversees the management of the company. QMX Mobile Health provides on-site imaging and diagnostics for nursing homes and assisted living facilities, including X-ray and ultrasound services.
One of the modern technologies for diagnosing gallstones is an abdominal ultrasound examination, a noninvasive exam that uses high frequency sound waves to generate a picture of the inside of the abdomen. Gallstones result from the accretion of crystallized bile in the gallbladder. While some people who have gallstones don't experience symptoms, others experience abdominal pain and inflammation, nausea, fever, and chills. For a successful abdominal ultrasound, the person who is about to undergo the examination should avoid eating anything for at least six hours prior to the exam. This is because the gallbladder contracts and releases bile for some hours after eating and will look abnormal in ultrasound images. Fasting before the examination prevents this. During the fasting hours, it's okay to drink clear liquids like water and black coffee, as long as they don't contain fat or sugar. After the ultrasound scan, a radiologist will interpret the results and send a report to the referring doctor. If gallstones are confirmed and symptoms are present, the doctor will discuss various treatment options. The most common treatment for gallstones is cholecystectomy, a surgical procedure for removing the gallbladder. A longtime North Carolina executive, Caleb Fort delivers imaging and diagnostics solutions at patient locations through QMX Mobile Health. Among the services that Caleb Fort’s firm offers are Holter monitor and pacemaker checks.
The cardiovascular system functions through electrical impulses causing the heart’s muscles to contract in order to ensure a steady pulse and flow of blood in and out of its chambers. In cases of the heart beating too quickly or too slowly, or having an irregular pulse related to events such as heart attack, the issue often comes down to faulty electrical pulse functioning. Surgically implanted in the chest (or in the heart itself), pacemakers are small devices that support these heart functions. Battery operated, they mimic the system through producing painless electrical signals that tell the heart to contract and initiate the pumping of blood. Most pacemakers have two basic components, one being a matchbook-sized metal box known as the pulse generator that houses electronics and battery. The other component is the thin wires, or leads, that connect to the heart from the pulse generator in the chest and conduct electrical signals. While most pacemakers are designed as a permanent support for cardiovascular functions, some are implanted as a way of achieving temporary heart stabilization. QMX Mobile Health’s solution is part of a regularly scheduled program of monitoring following pacemaker implantation, as set out by the healthcare provider. Through delivering this service within a home setting, the company ensures that patients are comfortable and have minimum disruption to their daily lives. In addition to serving as president of QMX Mobile Health, Caleb Fort has volunteered for several organizations, engaging in charity, education and civic projects. Caleb Fort serves as past president on the Board of the SC Governor's School for Science and Mathematics (GSSM) Foundation and is also an Advisory Board member of the Carolina Alliance Bank.
The GSSM Foundation supports GSSM through fund-raising, marketing, and alumni relations. The board members contribute by providing supplemental funds to support the expansion of the school’s programs, and by informing the community of GSSM’s contributions to the development of South Carolina. Foundation board members serve three-year terms but, like anyone else, can continue to contribute to the foundation following the end of their term. Donations can be made online, via the mail, and through pledges. The foundation also accepts gifts of appreciated securities, donations via matching gift programs offered by employers, and honorary and memorial gifts. Another way the GSSM Foundation has raised money is through its endowment campaigns. From 1995 to 2003, the foundation ran the Campaign for Sustaining Excellence, which established an endowment that is currently worth more than $10 million. From 2007 to 2015, GSSM ran the the Expect Great Things Endowment and Programming Campaign in response to growing student population. |
AuthorAs president of North Carolina's QMX Mobile Health, Caleb Fort draws on 30 years of business leadership experience in directing the on-site imaging and diagnostic provider, which services assisted living facilities, nursing homes, and home care patients throughout the state. ArchivesCategories |