Veterans' Health at Home® Self Care Book

The Most Comprehensive Self Care Book Available

Why choose our self-care books VA Northern California Health Care System conducted a self-care evaluation by a committee including physicians and nurses. They compared Health at Home Lifetime to a main competitor’s guide. The comparison included:
• Content
• Ease of use
• Literacy level
• Type size
• Illustrations ...

"I am so happy to have received the Veterans Health at Home book at the VA in St. Cloud. When my Physician, Crispin R. Domingo Jr., M.D., gave it to me he said there was a lot of information in it that I would enjoy reading. I read most of it when I got home that evening. I am taking it to North Dakota to show my good friend who is a fellow vet and I know he will go to the VA in Fargo, ND to get his copy. It is the best book I have ever read in regards to all sorts of ailments for both men and women. I share it with relatives and friends here in town. Thank you very much to the Veterans Administration." –Don Johnson, Mora, MN. "We have used Veterans Health at Home for 8 years now and I find it is one of the best medical resources for lay persons that I have seen in 30 years in the medical field. I also get great feedback from the veterans."
-Theresa Brooks, White City, OR

Veterans' Health at Home® was the clear choice by the committee for some of the following reasons:
• More color and colored pictures
• Colored tabs on the side of the book to aid in identifying sections of the book
• Dermatology felt the skin section was better
• Provides more information about the review team
• Content judged to be more useful to Veteran patients
• Costs less

Veterans' Health at Home® Instructional DVD.
This DVD can be distributed with each copy of the guide, put on your VISN website, or shown at seminars. It helps patients maximize the benefits of their guides and will increase its use thereby saving your VA even more money by reducing unnecessary doctor and ER visits.

More Reasons to use Veterans' Health at Home®
• Reviewed and approved by the American Academy of Family Physicians Foundation
• Custom Topics added for Veterans
• Free Online Workshop
• Unlimited customization options
• Fulfills Congressional mandate that 23% of all prime contract dollars spent by the federal government go to small businesses. AIPM is a small business (fewer than 50 employees).

Distribution Ideas
VISN 20:
• Distribute Veterans' Health at Home to providers who give the books to their patients
• Patient charts are flagged to indicate they had received a book
• Cascade call center nurses are educated to refer to the book as part of Brigg protocols.
• Satisfaction surveys are given to patients and providers at first receipt of the guide.
• Surveys regarding satisfaction and cost efficiency are sent to patients at six months post receipt.
• Results show positive responses from the veteran patients and the providers.

A Southern Oregon Rehabilitation Center:
Veterans Health Home is given to every new patient at our Group Orientation Visits (GOV). It is used as a primer. When we go through the health maintenance portion of the presentation, we refer to the book and the specific pages and they follow along. We have them fill in the health maintenance data, i.e. last flu shot, colonoscopy etc. We also advise the patient to use it to look up symptoms i.e. earache, urinary tract infections, stomach issues, etc. so they can be educated and at the time of symptoms can determine how to treat them, and when to call the provider. We also encourage the veteran to have it available when they call the after hours phone line.

VISN 21:
Martinez has a two hour orientation for new patients. Following the general subjects, each veteran is privately asked if they intend to make the VA their #1 provider. Those who say yes are given the book and instructions on how to use it. Patients who want medications only are not given a book. Patients are instructed to store the book with their telephone directory. Telephone triage nurses refer patients to a relevant section of the book. Read more

Health at Home Lifetime

Our Most Complete Seniors' Guide

Medicare recipients and retirees value it. This is the most thorough seniors' self-care book available. It is printed in full color with over 130 illustrations and photographs and addresses over 280 issues. Written in an extra large type style. 7 3/8" x 9". 432 pages. 280+ topics. Full color.

Achieving Mental Well-Being for Your Whole health

Supporting VA’s Whole health model of care for Veterans

This guidebook is designed to help Veterans live their lives to the fullest. Mental health plays a vital role in connecting a person’s Whole health – physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. Common mental health issues that Veterans face are presented, and can be reviewed to determine if professional care is needed. Topics include depression, anxiety, alcohol problems, relationships, and posttraumatic stress disorder. Following the Whole health approach, self-care activities to promote better mental health are provided, including mindful awareness exercises, and tips on being more active, getting better sleep, and healthy eating. The importance of community supports is also highlighted, along with contact information for national resources. 96 pages. 7 3/8" x 9"

Healthier at Home

Guide for Veterans under 50

As troops are returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, more and more veteran patients are under 50 years old. These patients have some different needs regarding health topics and common symptoms. Healthier at Home provides the most up to date information on over 300 health topics for VA patients and their family. Printed in full color, this text has over 325 photographs and illustrations.

Reviewed and approved by the American Academy of Family Physicians Foundation, Healthier at Home offers:
• Accompanying software
• Free online workshop
• The most up-to-date self-care information
• Written at a 6th grade reading level according to the Flesch Kincaid readability scale