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The "Meitiv" Project - Home Care Center for Sick Children, was established a few years ago at Ezra Lemarpeh, in response to the unique needs that involve caring for the sick child, and the special attention that his parents and siblings deserve.
The goals of the project:
To enable the child to remain at home with his family, as much as possible, without compromising on the medical care that he needs, including a medical team that will accompany the child during his stay at home.
To strengthen the relationship with the social workers, the nurses and doctors, and to monitor the unifying connection between the various factors that care for the sick child, in addition to assisting in representing the parents for the various authorities, in order to receive their rights and to guide them in obtaining the maximal information that could promote actualizing their rights.
To create an environment that is suitable to the child's needs, both medically as well as a properly supportive one.
To arrange for suitable recreational activities according to the child's condition, including both educational activity to compensate for his missed schooling, as well as other activities that serve to distract him from the pain and discomfort. This includes obtaining school- and reading books, PC's with suitable software, a video with suitable films, toys, etc.
 To obtain support for the child's parents and siblings, including professional guidance in acquiring methods of coping with the medical situations, as well as handling the attendant emotional stress.
To organize various pastimes for the sick child, including trips, fun days, parties, etc. These events should also include, as much as possible, the child's siblings and his close family circle.
To buy presents and prizes according to each child's preference, and to divide them according to needs and opportunities.
To assist in organizing volunteers who will stay with the child, both during his hospitalization, as well as during his "home stay". This helps to ease the load off the child's parents and his family, and makes it possible to go on with life, preventing accumulated damage to the rest of the family, as well as avoiding financial problems, due to absences from work.
The medical equipment that is needed to keep a child at home includes the following items [Naturally, each specific case needs different items]:
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Rehabilitation equipment:
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1.
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Hospital bed with electric control to adjust position
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2.
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Orthopedic, reclining wheelchair
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3.
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Walker, crutches and walking sticks
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4.
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Mute nurse and accessories for bed
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5.
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Anti bed-sore mattresses, including an adjustment pump [various types]
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6.
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Pillows and elevation devices for parts of the body, to prevent bed-sores
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7.
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Crane for elevating the child
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8.
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Accessories for the bathroom
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9.
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Electrically operated armchair
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10.
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Shower and w.c. wheelchair
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11.
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I.V. Pole
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Cost of rehabilitation equipment:
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$ 4,500
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Medical equipment:
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Didactic / occupational equipment:
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1.
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Glucometer [tests blood sugar levels]
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1.
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Laptop computer
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2.
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Infusion pump
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2.
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Video equipment & screen for watching videos
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3.
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"Kangaroo" feeding pump
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3.
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Software, educational software and games
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4.
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PCA - Morphine drip pump
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4.
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Visual school books and reading books
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5.
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Suction pump for removing phlegm
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5.
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Various games
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6.
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Oxygen tank with valve
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6.
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Radio-tape / disc-man, including cassettes & discs / gameboy
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7.
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Oxygen concentrator
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8.
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"Tens" - anti-pain device
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Cost of didactic / occupational equipment:
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$ 5,300
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9.
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Electronic blood pressure meter
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Auxiliary staff for the child:
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Cost of medical equipment:
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$ 8,000
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1.
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Doctor in charge
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2.
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Nurse on call 24 hours a day
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Adapting the home to the sick child's needs:
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3.
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Social worker escort
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1.
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Installing air-conditioning in child's room
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4.
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Teacher to catch up on missing school work
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2.
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Elevating device for wheelchairs on stairs [in case there is a problem]
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5.
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Support group for the parents
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3.
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Installing accessories in the toilet and bathroom
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6.
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Supervised physiotherapy
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Cost of adapting apartment:
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$ 1,000 - $ 5,000
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Cost:
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Cost of auxiliary staff [assuming that it is partially voluntary]: approx. $500 monthly
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Transportation:
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1.
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Transporting the child to hospital for treatments
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2.
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Taking the child out for "airing" and for trips, according to his needs [including medical escort]
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3.
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Hosting the children for a weekend at hotels
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4.
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Sending the child abroad for medical treatments and for recreation [according to the child's condition]
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5.
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Transporting volunteers to the child at home, or at the hospital
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Cost:
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The cost of this clause can be determined only for each individual case [ranging from $ 500 to $ 5,000 per child annually!]
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 We must emphasize that some children use almost all of the equipment described above, while others use only part of it. Again, this depends on each individual case and the unique needs of each child.
To date, more than a thousand children have benefitted from this service of our organization's, and thousands [!] of hospitalization days were saved every year.
The fame of the "Meitiv" Project spread far and wide, and appeals began arriving from pediatric departments in most hospitals in Israel. In response to the requests, we recruited dozens of volunteers who visit the pediatric departments and try to help the children and their parents as much as possible.
The variety of occupational possibilities for bed-ridden children has also become famous, and many patients who must remain in bed for long periods of time call us and ask for this service, although they have long ago forgotten their childhood. We try to supply every caller with this service, while giving priority to the sick children of the "Meitiv" Project.
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