In addition to in-home rehabilitation therapies, RVNAhealth has a Rehabilitation & Wellness Center at our flagship at 27 Governor Street, and at RVNAhealth at GPC, both in Ridgefield, CT.
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Welcome to one of our new segments where we are profiling the towns that we serve. On deck this month is Bethel! With nearly 100 years of presence in this town, Bethel is also called ‘home’ by 25 RVNAhealth employees. Read more to find out what we’ve been up to in Bethel, read some input from local friends and supporters, and get the inside scoop on ‘best of’ recommendations by some of our very own local team!
Fun Facts about Bethel:
RVNAhealth Events in Bethel:
Words with Friends:
This month we reached out to some friends who live or work in Bethel and asked them to say a few words about their relationship with RVNAhealth. We value all our relationships in Bethel – employees, patients, partners, and supporters. We are honored to work, live, and serve in this wonderful community!
Stan Kessler, DDS, RVNAhealth Board Member. “After being a member of the Board of Directors of the Bethel Visiting Nurse Association for many years, I was asked to join the inaugural Board of the newly formed RVNAhealth, which merged Bethel’s VNA with New Milford’s and Ridgefield’s VNAs. Since its founding in 1927, Bethel’s VNA successfully grew and evolved through changing and challenging public health care needs, while maintaining its focus on its individual clients. Combining the three VNAs has resulted in both continuing the excellent personal care that the Bethel VNA provided and expanding the numerous services that are available. We can now add hospice care, physical therapy, in-home rehabilitation, personal care giving, public health and safety programs, and numerous other services that support everyone from neonatal to end of life care. I am proud to support RVNAhealth!”
Dan Carter, RVNAhealth Board Member. “There is nothing more important than the health and safety of our town’s residents and the VNA, first as Bethel VNA and now as RVNAHealth, has been there for us every step of the way! Over the years I have run into people of all ages across our town that have benefited from the care and services of the professionals at RVNAhealth, and I have learned they provide so much more than in-home care. It’s what prompted me to join the board of directors and help them provide healthcare when and where it is needed. I encourage Bethel residents to check out RVNAhealth and learn more about the services available.”
Brenda Moon LPN, COF, CMF, CDME, CPC-A, Medical Home Care, Bethel, BOC Certified Orthotic & Mastectomy Fitter, DME Sales. “I have worked with both Bethel VNA and RVNAhealth for many years, referring patients when appropriate and working together for the people we both care for and for the Bethel community. RVNAhealth is fabulous and the full circle of services, from rehab to home health care to the clinicians covering so many towns. I know who to call at RVNAhealth for questions and resources for my clients. Medical Home Care has been involved with RVNAhealth’s annual Health Fair for many years. RVNAhealth was a hero during the pandemic. I know a lot of people in town and many local companies provide my personal services like McKleans Cleaners, Stony Hill Dental, Quality Gem and Hollandia. RVNAhealth is a home health care agency that has Bethel’s back.”
For over a century, RVNAhealth, New Milford VNA and Hospice and Bethel VNA have been neighbors and collaborators, each serving a parallel mission in our respective communities. Over the decades, we have each grown- expanding our range of services, our territorial reach, and deepening our ties to the patients and families we serve.
In 2020, we came to the realization that there is strength and talent in numbers. By joining forces, we could all be stronger, better, and healthier for the long term. As organizations, we had a lot in common. We had over 300 years of history between us. We had parallel missions, overlapping services, and overlapping towns served. We shared common goals and common challenges.
So here we are 18 months later…How’s it going?
Below, Theresa Santoro, MSN, RN, CHCA, RVNAhealth President & Chief Executive Officer, shares her thoughts.
“I’m proud to say it is going well!
Our boards of directors have joined forces and established one, unified governing body to oversee and shepherd the combined centuries-long mission of a not-for-profit home health, hospice, and community health organization.
We’ve established a 3 -5-year strategic plan, a roadmap shaping the way for our future, ensuring we continue to meet the growing needs of all populations of people we serve in a changing healthcare landscape.
Our driving force is the health and well-being of our patients and communities- today, tomorrow and 50 years from now. Our patients were our priority. All patients under the care of New Milford and Bethel were seamlessly transferred to RVNAhealth. Today, we have an average daily census of nearly 1,100 patients across all our service lines. To accomplish this significant growth successfully, we pooled our collective talent and resources and invested deeply in people, service, and technology, all while managing throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
The merged organization has allowed us to grow and thrive while maintaining the mission-driven history of each former agency. Our new organization is stronger and more valuable for generations to come, and offers access to the best home and community healthcare.
We’ve adopted and grown all services and programs brought on at the merge and now have an enhanced continuum of care to address all ages, stages and levels of health including preventive and wellness programs.
We continue to uphold our legacies recognizing there is strength in collaboration to meet today’s challenges in delivering care. We’ve made significant investments in talent, programming, technology, and specialty services to meet the needs of a larger territory of towns served. By sharing these resources and making future investments together, we’ve set a stronger foundation for the future.”
Thank you Theresa! And thank you to the entire RVNAhealth employee population for working hard to ensure that patient care remained our top priority through the transitions of the last 18 months. We look forward to continuing to grow as a best-in-class agency for our employees and the communities we serve.
Patient Testimonial for Vicky Clifford
I am writing to express my appreciation for the excellent service I have received from Victoria Clifford, [OTR, CDP, RVNAhealth Occupational Therapist] during my recovery from spinal surgeries.
Ms. Clifford strikes the optimal balance of professionalism and compassion. She has been invaluable to me by teaching me multiple techniques for safe and effective self care, including but not limited to development of self reliance regarding showering and dressing. She has surveyed every aspect of my life and given me wise counsel for improving my safety and quality of life. She has helped me to acquire essential tools for fulfilling that counsel.
Ms. Clifford is a born teacher. She explains unfamiliar matters with clarity, thoroughness, and patience. She held me accountable but did so with understanding and compassion.
In sum, she has surpassed her duty and exceeded my expectations. Thanks so much for providing her services to me. She has been instrumental in my successful recovery.
Thanks again,
Richard H. Greenwood
Family Testimonial for Vicky Clifford
From Gigi Weiss, MPT, Director of Rehabilitation Services: “I just got off the most pleasant phone call with the son of one of our patients. He said Vicky was one of the nicest, most intelligent, and professional people that he has ever met in healthcare. She was so patient and tolerant with his mother. He also said if Vicky ‘were a ball player she would be batting 1000.’ These kind words were passed along because he knows how hard everyone works in healthcare and it is not easy.”
Thank you Vicky for your tremendous care and efforts! And thank you to our patients and families for your appreciation of, and trust in our care.
