Since 1981, Avail Home Health has been Washington’s original and preferred provider for in-home private duty nursing for medically complex children and adults. Cyndi Mullenhoff, RN, Avail’s founder, was a leader in developing a model for allowing medically fragile children to be safely discharged and cared for in a home setting.
In 1981, doctors at Seattle Children's Hospital were considering discharging a ventilator-dependent child to live with his family at home. An experienced nurse, Cyndi had experienced firsthand the emotional and stressful situations families experience when trying to care for a loved one after an extended hospitalization. She also knew the many benefits of having a patient cared for in the comfort of home. However, at the time no guidelines existed to support this process.
Drawing on her years of nursing experience, Cyndi worked closely with Seattle Children’s Hospital, physicians, and the medical establishment to develop a new model, one that would safely supported bringing medically fragile patients back into their homes.
Thanks to these efforts, the ventilator-dependent child was able to come home, to live with his family. This case—one of the first in the nation—demonstrates how Cyndi helped "write the book" on providing care for medically fragile patients in their own home.
Today, Avail Home Health provides a range of home health services for all ages, throughout Washington.
We love our nurses and we love the respect we get from the office staff at Avail. There is no other agency for our family!
-Maren