As healthcare leaders across the country mark National Nurses Week in May and celebrated the theme “The Power of Nurses,” much of that power is being felt not inside hospitals – but inside homes, said Boca Raton nurse Rafie Merzel, RN, who has been delivering personalized in-home care through JFS at Home since its inception in 2016.
Now celebrating its 10th anniversary, JFS at Home says Merzel’s story reflects a broader shift in healthcare as more seniors seek care in the comfort of their own homes.
With more than 36 years of nursing experience, Merzel began her career in hospitals, working on medical-surgical and respiratory units caring for patients with ventilators and tracheostomies. Over time, however, she found herself drawn to geriatric and rehabilitation care.
“You’re not just treating a condition – you’re supporting a person through a very important time in their life,” she said.
That path eventually led her to home healthcare, where she said the connection with patients is deeper and more personal.
“In the home, you see everything,” Merzel explained. “You understand their routines, their challenges, their environment. It allows you to care for the whole person – not just the diagnosis.”
Healthcare experts say home-based care is becoming increasingly important as South Florida’s senior population grows, medical technology advances and more older adults prefer to age independently.
At JFS at Home, nurses play a central role in that evolving model – conducting in-home assessments, coordinating care plans and helping families navigate difficult decisions.
“Families are often overwhelmed,” Merzel stated. “They don’t always know what to expect. Being able to support them, to help them understand what’s happening – that’s a big part of our role.”
Marissa Gordon, MPA, CEO/Administrator, of JFS at Home, said nurses remain critical to the organization’s success.
“Our nurses are the backbone of everything we do,” Gordon noted. “Rafie is a perfect example of the compassion, expertise and dedication that define our team – and that families rely on every day.”
For Merzel, the most rewarding part of the work is building trust with patients and families.
“You have time in home care,” she said. “Time to listen, to notice changes, to build trust.”
And increasingly, that trust – and care – is happening where patients feel most comfortable: at home.
