Amy Neese Jones grabs her buzzing phone from her purse and presses the answer button. Before the “hello” brushes her lips, a dear friend on the other end unravels a series of heartfelt pleas.
“My wife has been in the hospital recovering from pneumonia. If I can get her home — where she belongs — I know she’ll get stronger. But I’m not sure what services are covered by our insurance, and though I’ve taken care of her for the last 50 years, I’ve realized I can’t do this alone.” Jones hears a slight quiver in his voice before he softly adds, “Can you help us?”
Maya Angelou is credited with saying, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
As a registered nurse (RN) and the patient care liaison for Adoration Home Health, Jones lives this quote daily. The summer before she attended the University of Alabama in Huntsville, Jones worked at a day care center caring for infants. After earning a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing, she spent 15 years as a labor and delivery nurse. Most of those years were spent at the old Bedford County Medical Center, but she also worked at Harton in Tullahoma and at Williamson County Medical Center before making a career change that better fit her growing family.
“Once I had my own children, and life got busier, I decided to work a job with different hours,” said Jones. “I landed in home health, and it has been a great blessing to me. I realized I love the elderly just as much as I loved the babies.”
Five years ago, Norma Pugh Templeton, who is a fellow RN and the director of the Shelbyville branch of Adoration Home Health, offered Jones a position which quickly became her dream job. Now Jones, along with her team of qualified nurses and therapists, ensures their friends, neighbors, and every family within Bedford and the surrounding counties have access to private duty nursing, home health, and, when needed, hospice care.
“We provide compassionate care at the highest quality for patients with a variety of illnesses, injuries, and rehabilitation needs. This mission is carried out daily by my team — a group of talented, selfless clinicians, a stellar office staff, and our leader, Norma Pugh Templeton. I facilitate referrals for our home health services from various sources, such as doctors’ offices, hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, etc. I love my job because I work with so many amazing people, from my referral sources to my clinical staff to all of my co-workers. My team is top-notch, and they provide the best care and therapy to our patients.”
A few years ago, a terrible bout with pneumonia hospitalized Jones’ grandfather, and her family embraced the help and services offered by Adoration.
Jones said, “Following a serious hospitalization, my Papa recovered from pneumonia and from several wounds on his lower extremities with the help of the care and compassion from the staff of Adoration. This made my heart so happy, and my family got to see what I do and my ‘why’ for doing it.”
When Jones receives a referral from a physician regarding a patient being discharged from the hospital, she contacts the family and offers them a priceless gift. Not only does she extend kindness and understanding, but she restores their ability to make the choices they feel are best for their loved ones. She guides them toward invaluable resources, such as someone who can provide a wheelchair ramp. She also schedules visits from therapists and nurses and helps families understand what services are covered by their insurance policies.
“At the end of the day, my job is about helping people that need us and making sure that everyone in our community is informed about the resources available and making sure they get the best in-home care. I try to be the ‘easy button’ for all of my referrals and accounts. Home health is a good fit for patients who have a support system in place. We are not a sitter service. We ensure patients receive therapy, social work, and nursing care that is vital for their recovery while keeping their independence within their own homes.”
Jones continued, “Adoration is set apart from other home health agencies because we are the only one that has a physical branch within Shelbyville. Most of our team are local clinicians that are also tied to our community, and that is something very special. Our team is what makes Adoration so wonderful.” GN
