VOLUME 9: ISSUE 2
Jimbo is home!
After just 48 days, James "Jimbo" Secunda has transitioned back to his own home. Dream House is pleased to report that Jimbo's rapid post-surgery recovery at the Family for KeepsŪ Transition Care Home (TCH) in Lilburn was roughly half the anticipated 90-day stay. Take a virtual tour.
"The Dream House is the most loving, comfortable, safe environment for a child's recovery," commented Jimbo's mother, Honey W. Secunda. "I never once worried about my son's care when I was not able to be with him. The staff of the Dream House was truly a gift from God. We should all have the care they gave my child."
Word of mouth led Jimbo to Dream House.
Dream House supporters first learned about Jimbo in November. His mom had contacted dozens of other agencies trying to find a post-surgery facility for Jimbo since their home is not handicap-accessible. After exhausting all other known resources, Honey Secunda stumbled upon Dream House through a series of personal connections. Since the TCH reopened November 1, 2009 under the new Children's Transition Care Centers License (CTCC), referral information for this resource is not yet widespread in the health care community.
Jimbo's grandmother Rosemary Dodd is now the "biggest and loudest advocate" for Dream House, saying, "I am telling every pediatrician and doctor I know about this most amazing place! And, they all want to know more...but we have to get the word out."
Dream House supporters made it happen.
If a child's family or home are not yet ready when it is time for discharge from the hospital, the TCH is a great alternative to a longer hospital stay or admission to a nursing home. What complicated Jimbo's situation was that his insurance did not cover an out-patient rehabilitation admission or transition care stay. Widowed and the sole provider for her family, Honey was not able to cover this out-of-pocket expense.
With both Jimbo's legs casted and wheel-chair bound, "he could not come home until I was certain that I would be able to help him climb up and down the 13 steps leading to our front door. I needed to know that I could help Jimbo get out of bed in the morning and walk him to the bathroom. I needed to know that he would feel steady on his feet and confident when taking a shower," said Honey. "Although we now start our morning about 1-1/2 hours earlier than normal to give Jimbo time to get ready, he is motivated to get back into his routine at home and school."
Once he was fitted for removable "boot" casts, Jimbo needed intensive therapy to give him the confidence required to climb stairs, step into the bathtub, or simply walk with assistance. All his needs were met at the Dream House TCH...including the generous donations that paid for his unreimbursed direct care expenses.
The need is immediate, yet resources are scarce.
Instituting a brand new license has been fraught with unexpected delays that have, in turn, had a domino effect on all fee-for-service direct care contract negotiations. As reported in the January 2010 Silver Lining Newsletter, Dream House is still in contract negotiations with Georgia's Department of Family and Children Services (DFCS), care management organizations (CMOs), state and federal Medicaid officials, as well as private insurance providers...an unbelievable six months after being awarded in August 2009 the first and only CTCC license in the nation.
The bottom line? Dream House supporters continue to foot 100 percent of the bill to provide direct care for children receiving transition care and respite care at the TCH, if their families are unable to pay.
Other children need Dream House, too.
Jimbo's mom remarked that the Dream House staff "just love what they do! Going through this trauma, their loving care helped Jimbo and me on this emotional journey."
Your ongoing financial gifts are critical to ensure that children, like 10-year-old Angel, can also receive and benefit from the unique transition care provided by Dream House. She has Cerebral Palsy, severe mental retardation, cortical blindness, seizure disorder, scoliosis and needs total care. Fed by G-tube, Angel is wheelchair bound and also requires frequent respiratory treatments and monitoring.
Please see the Dream House Wish List. You can help meet the needs of Angel and other children waiting for admission to the Family for KeepsŪ Transition Care Home (TCH) in Lilburn. GIVE NOW
| DAILY COST | 1 DAY | 2 DAYS | 3 DAYS | 4 DAYS | 5 DAYS |
| $180 per child | $180 | $360 | $540 | $720 | $900 |
