Adaku Ezeadi

Nurse Practitioner Offers Compassionate Care to Homebound Patients

“People are amazed at how many facets are involved in home care. Comprehensive medical care and education are at the core, plus we also address safety and financial concerns.”

With a childhood that spanned the globe – from Lincoln, Nebraska, to Nigeria – Adaku “Didi” Ezeadi saw the world at a young age. Her parents were college professors and she was destined for an educational journey in whichever field she chose. Didi found her calling in nursing, and ultimately, home care.

“I’m a very social person, and the other medical settings didn’t give me that chance to get to know my patients,” she said. “As soon as I started working in home care, I knew I had found my niche.”

Home care is just one way that Vanguard Medical Group increases accessibility to primary care. Didi brings a diverse background to her role as a member of Vanguard’s Primary Care at Home team, which includes geriatric specialists and experienced geriatric nurse practitioners who manage homebound patients. In addition to being an adult-gerontology nurse practitioner, Didi is a certified wound specialist, a licensed nursing home administrator, and has experience as a case manager. She has worked in hospitals, long-term care, hospice settings and home care.

Her focus in home care includes keeping her patients home safely and out of the hospital. “The key is education,” she says. “You teach them about their medications and make sure they’re taking them safely. You educate them about side effects. You inspect their homes and look out for difficulties getting to the bathroom. You address their diet to ensure they are meeting their own nutritional needs. You look out for loneliness and depression. It’s a comprehensive and compassionate approach. We strive to meet all the needs of our vulnerable homebound patients.”

Didi often sees the impact she can have on her patients and their families. “Even years later, I will run into family members of my patients and they will ask, ‘Didi, remember me?’ I love that. That makes me feel as if I have made a real difference in their lives.”

When she’s not working, Didi likes to read Shakespeare and novels. She is a big fan of mysteries and especially enjoys Agatha Christie. She is also currently working on her doctorate in nursing.