Message from the Chair | July 2025

Welcome to summer.  Summer means different things for everyone – both good and bad. Summer lets us spend time participating in outdoor activities, enjoying summer treats, and going on vacations.  But for those of us dealing with health services in the home, summer can be somewhat stressful as we need to be aware of events that can adversely affect our clients.  

Summer heat is a big issue.  We work to ensure that our clients can stay cool and hydrated. We need to be aware of resources in our areas for our clients to help them out.  There are resources available for helping low-income individuals get help with utility bills so they can keep air conditioners on during the summer months.  In California there is The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) that provides assistance to eligible low-income households with the goal of managing and meeting their immediate home heating and/or cooling needs. There are also local non-profit organizations that can be accessed.  

Summer also means we are in fire season.  We all need to be on the alert, especially for patients and staff who live in more remote and rugged parts of the state.  The Watch Duty app can be downloaded on your phone and is a great way to stay informed of fires when they break out.  It can help keep us informed early of fires that pop up in our vicinities.  And we must be alert for the Public Safety Power Shutoffs by the electric companies.  As providers of health services in the home, making sure our clients have access to power or access to cooling centers is a critical part of our emergency service policies and procedures during summer months.

A big thank you to everyone out there in the trenches making sure our clients at home stay safe this summer.  
On a separate note, this summer also brings us educational events through CAHSAH.  We have Lunch & Learn Webinars – "Be the Five Star You Are" in July and "How Home Care Agencies Succeed with AI" in August. Then there are two virtual events -  the "Home Health Medicare EXTRAVAGANZA" in July and our "Home Health Survey Readiness with CDPH Update and the Hospice Survey Readiness with CDPH Update" – both in September. And the big event is the Administrator Certificate Program in Las Vegas in August. CAHSAH members get discounted pricing on all events.  Give your staff a summer treat with these great events. 

So, have a great summer and stay safe and informed. 

Respectfully submitted,
Julie Lehmann 
CAHSAH Board Chair