Finding details and getting answers on aging at home can be tedious and difficult but it absolutely doesn't have to be! In this special panel episode of Home Care You Say, host Mike Sokoloski, sits down with industry experts and retirees who ask unfiltered questions about aging in place and receiving care at home.

Joined by industry experts Danyelle Guzzy RN, BSN (Director of Nursing at Traditional Home Health Care) and Sara McDonald MSW (Director of the Lackawanna County Area Agency on Aging), we are slicing through the confusion to give you straight answers. Whether you are planning for your own future or actively caring for a loved one, this episode is packed with the real talk you need to stay empowered and independent.

In This Episode:

- Know the services: Understand the difference between Home Care, Home Health and Hospice Care.

- Insurance Reality Check: What Medicare actually covers, and how the Area Agency on Aging can help fund personal care through Medicaid waivers or sliding scale cost-sharing.

- Hospice Misconceptions: Why end-of-life care is a robust team effort—featuring social workers, chaplains, and even pet therapy dogs like Baxter—rather than just a single nurse focusing on a singular patient.

- The Independence Myth: How accepting home care services actually prolongs your ability to live safely in your community, rather than taking your independence away.

Resource Links:

Learn More & Get Involved: Visit heartsforhomecare.com

Contact the Show: Email your questions to [email protected]

Episode Sponsor: A huge thank you to Colarusso's Coal Fire Restaurant, Dickson City for letting us record this week

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Bliss Brown returns with a new episode of the Home Care You Say Updates podcast. Ever find yourself nodding along when someone mentions "home care" or "home health," secretly wondering if they mean the exact same thing? You are not alone! In the second episode of our educational series, we are tearing down the confusing healthcare jargon to help you become an advocacy powerhouse. Whether you are getting ready to speak to a legislator or just trying to understand the system, this episode breaks down everything you need to know about Home Care, Home Health, and Hospice. 

In This Episode, You'll Learn:

Home Care Basics: We compare all three side-by-side and talk about whether they generally fall under Medicare or Medicaid.

Busting Hospice Myths: A common misconception is that entering hospice means "giving up". In reality, hospice is specialized care for those facing a terminal illness, with a focus on maximizing comfort, dignity, and quality of life for both the patient and their entire family.

Want to level up your advocacy game but feel intimidated by the political scene? We've all been there—but it's time to learn just how easy these meetings can be and what you should expect before heading in. Mike is back on the mic today to bust the ultimate myth: the idea that your elected officials are too booked up to listen to what you have to say.

In reality, state and federal officials often enjoy connecting with their constituents because they need to know what matters most to the voters in their districts. You are the true expert in the room, and your unique experiences hold the power to drive real, lasting change.

In This Episode, You'll Learn:

- Why you are the true experts in the room.

- How to easily track down your specific representatives using a simple online search tool.

- The crucial differences between state advocacy (Medicaid reimbursed home care) and federal advocacy (Home Health and Hospice).

- The absolute best methods to reach out and schedule a quick 15 to 20-minute meeting with an elected official.

Resource Links:

- Request a meeting with your local lawmakers: heartsforhomecare.quorum.us/campaign/request-visit/

- Submit your personal video story if you can't make a face-to-face meeting: heartsforhomecare.com/share-story

- Use the "Find Your Lawmaker" tool: heartsforhomecare.quorum.us/officials/

- Reach out for extra support and advocacy strategy by emailing [email protected].

In this episode, host Michael Sokoloski sits down with Maggie DiPasquale, the Area Director of Government Affairs for Hearts for Home Care and Bayada Home Health Care.

Maggie breaks down the complex, sometimes frustrating world of Medicare policy and explains why home care providers are facing an uphill battle against continuous reimbursement cuts.

In This Episode, You'll Learn:

- The Policy vs. Access Gap: How viewing healthcare cuts through a "spending lens" instead of an "access lens" hurts real patients.

- The Compounding Effect: Why year-over-year payment reductions create massive challenges for recruiting and retaining a fragile workforce.

- The Power of the Human Story: Why home visits are the ultimate advocacy tool to change lawmakers' minds.

- How to Take Action: The simplest way for new advocates to share their stories and secure their seat at the policy table.

Share Your Story: Hearts for Home Care Website

Learn More: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPac)

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Happy May advocates! Advocacy season is officially in full swing, and host Bliss Brown returns for a quick classroom session. In this episode, we are clearing up the ultimate healthcare confusion once and for all: what is the actual difference between Medicare and Medicaid, and how does it impact the future of home care?

In This Episode, You'll Learn

The Alphabet Soup of Care: A simple breakdown of Medicare Parts A, B, C, and D—and which one you'll hear about most in home health.

The Long-Term Lifeline: How Medicaid acts as the primary payer for long-term, home-based services across America.

The Power of Both: What it means to be "dual-eligible" and how these two massive programs work together for patients.

Why It Matters Right Now: How federal funding decisions directly impact state budgets and the home care services your family and community may rely on.

We sit down with Laura Brigandi, senior manager of advocacy practice for the Public Affairs Council, to pull back the curtain on what actually moves the needle with decision-makers. We discuss the importance of personalization in messaging and building relationships that are beneficial, not transactional. Laura delivers the blueprint for influence that sticks. If you’re ready to stop just "raising awareness" and start driving real policy change, this conversation is your new secret weapon🔥

In This Episode, You’ll Learn 💡

Resource Links 🔗

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Get ready to feel inspired! In this episode, we’re joined by the ultimate power duo from the New Jersey State Legislature: Assemblywoman Carol Murphy and Assemblywoman Aura Dunn. Despite being on different sides of the aisle, these two are proof that passion for the home care community transcends politics. They dive deep into the formation of New Jersey's first-of-its-kind Bipartisan Home Care Caucus and share heart-to-heart stories about how visiting families in their homes changed their entire legislative perspective. It’s a masterclass in advocacy, empathy, and getting things done for the "Silver Tsunami" heading our way.

Are you a home care advocate in the tristate area? Learn more about our New Jersey Home Care Rally happening in May and RSVP today! https://heartsforhomecare.quorum.us/event/33183/

The Power of Proximity: Why seeing home care in action is 100x more impactful than reading a budget report.

Small Wins, Big Impact: The "behind the scenes" saga of the Parking Plaque Bill and why persistent advocacy matters for home health aides.

The Workforce Crisis: A candid look at why raising the minimum wage isn't a "one-size-fits-all" fix for the dedicated DSPs and LPNs in the field.

Cutting the Red Tape: What the new administration can do to simplify the permitting and hospitalization transfer process for families.

The Future of Advocacy: How to be your own "Nudger in Chief" and effectively reach out to your local representatives.

Loved this episode? Don't let the conversation stop here! Subscribe to our channel, leave a review on your favorite podcast platform, and head over to our website to see how you can join our grassroots advocacy efforts today! Let’s keep nudging for change together!

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This week Mike Sokolowski sits down with Jason Lee, CEO of the Home Care Association of America (HCAOA). They tackle the massive forces reshaping how we care for our aging population—from AI breakthroughs to the urgent need for a professionalized workforce. If you want to know where the future of healthcare is headed (hint: it’s right in your living room), you can't afford to miss this one! 

Don't forget that next week is the HCAOA Advocacy Day in Washington D.C. (April 22, 2026), be part of the movement to protect home health care at

hcaoa.org/national-home-care-advocacy-day.html

- Policy Power Plays: How the HCAOA is working with legislators to create "common sense" policies that support both agencies and families.

- The 2050 Demographic Cliff: Why the exponential growth of the 65+ and 85+ populations is the biggest external factor facing the industry.

- Professionalizing the Caregiver: Shifting the narrative from a "calling" to a rewarding, high-skill "career path" to solve the recruitment crisis.

- Immigration as a Solution: The push for streamlining EB-3 visas and creating a specific "Home Care Visa" to bolster the workforce.

- Advocacy 101: Why you are the "most important person in the room" when meeting with members of Congress (and how to tell your story).

- The Tech Evolution: How AI and electronic visit verification (EVV) are streamlining operations and ensuring program integrity.

- Protecting the "Agency Model": Why W-2 employment is the gold standard for preventing fraud, waste, and abuse compared to 1099 models.

HCAOA Website: Home Care Association of America

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We are ready to answer all your questions about hospice and hospice care. Most people associate it with the very final days of life, but there is so much more to the story. In this episode, Mike sits down with Logan Hoover, Vice President of Policy and Government Relations at the National Alliance for Care at Home, to pull back the curtain on the industry. From the "2.6% problem" to the bad actors giving the field a bad name, we’re diving deep into the advocacy work keeping compassionate care alive. Logan shares why hospice is a "career calling" and how we can protect the most vulnerable patients from fraud while ensuring quality providers have the resources they need to thrive. 

The 2.6% Dilemma: Why a "pay increase" is actually a budget cut for small and rural providers when inflation is factored in.

The "Law Enforcement Problem": How criminal actors in places like LA County are "robbing banks" by exploiting the hospice benefit.

The Special Focus Program: The difference between an anti-fraud program and one designed to help "needs improvement" providers raise their game.

Beyond the "Final Days" Myth: When and why families should start the hospice conversation much earlier than the final 48 hours.

The Future of the Workforce: Strategies to fight burnout, increase wages, and use technology like telehealth to keep clinicians in the field.

Advocacy in Action: What the National Alliance for Care at Home is doing to protect the industry.

Caring Info: CaringInfo.org – All the resources you need for hospice, palliative care, and advance directives. Available in both English and Spanish.

National Alliance for Care at Home: Visit Website – Stay updated on the latest policy and advocacy efforts.

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Spring has officially sprung, and that means one thing: the heat is turning up on home care advocacy!

In this update, Bliss breaks down the massive turnout at Pennsylvania’s Advocacy Day and why those conversations are "strategic gold" when negotiating the state's budget. We also take a tour across the nation—from the "juicy" political upsets in North Carolina to the looming budget battles in Florida and New Jersey.

Whether you're curious about the "Medicaid spending microscope" hitting blue states or want to know when the next big Advocacy Day is happening near you, this episode is packed with the intel you need to stay ahead of the curve. Get ready to be inspired and get involved! 

Episode highlights

Pennsylvania’s Record Run: How a massive turnout on March 24th is tackling the direct care worker crisis and Medicaid reimbursement rates.

The Federal "Fraud" Focus: Why CMS, the President, and Congress are putting a magnifying glass on program oversight and what that means for your state.

A Political Plot Twist: Why the defeat of North Carolina’s Senate Pro Tem by just 23 votes is a game-changer for the state's budget future.

State Breakdown: The latest on HCBS service increases in South Carolina, New Jersey's budget prep, and Florida’s workforce shortage battles.

Your Advocacy Calendar: Save the date and RSVP for upcoming events in Delaware (May 14) and North Carolina (May 13).

Resources

Take Action: Visit the Hearts for Home Care Website to contact your legislators.

Get Involved: Email the team directly at [email protected] to join the movement.

Stay Social: Check out the Pennsylvania Fireside Chats for local advocacy updates, you can RSVP on the event page.

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