Sen. McCain visits with HME patient

JACKSON, Mich. - Presidential hopeful Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., visited with a patient of Great Lakes Home Health during a Nov. 8 campaign stop here. McCain, a Vietnam War veteran, visited Marvin Seifkin, a World War II veteran, and his wife, Florence, at their home after a town hall rally at “Under the Oaks,” the 1854 birthplace of the Republican party. Great Lakes supplies Seifkin with end-of-life care. “Mr. Seifkin had some photo albums from WWII, and Mr. McCain recognized some of the images in the photos,” said William Deary, CEO of Great Lakes. “He said he had seen some of them in his father's and grandfather's photos.” McCain presented Seifkin with an American flag. At the end of the visit, Seifkin thanked the senator for stopping by. “Mr. McCain said it was an honor to meet with someone from the ‘Greatest Generation' and to get a couple of minutes off the campaign trail,” said Deary. McCain and his stance on home health care continue to impress Deary. McCain's healthcare platform includes finding alternatives to hospitals and nursing homes: “The next president will have to take on the special interests that thrive in the healthcare system. Doctors must do a better job of managing our care and keeping us out of hospitals and nursing homes,” the senator stated. “Key parts of his platform read like the credo to home care,” Deary said. “While some of the other presidential candidates are talking about universal health care and how to fund it, McCain's message is very different. He's talking about a responsible healthcare system.”