Celebrating Life…RVNAhealth’s Annual Hospice Memorial Service

On Tuesday, June 21st, RVNAhealth’s ComfortWELL team hosted its second annual RVNAhealth Hospice Memorial Service in the Ridgefield office for the families and loved ones of our hospice patients who have passed away. The memorial service is an opportunity for all to honor their loved ones who have passed away and pay tribute to the lives they led. It was a beautiful evening, made particularly special by the bonds and love shared by families, friends, and staff. We are grateful to the families who came and to all the families who entrusted us with the care of their loved one in their final stage of life.

 

This time helps family heal, connect with the team who cared for their loved ones, and express one more time their experience. It not only helps families but also staff. Our hospice staff spend significant time with patients and their families. Special bonds are created, so we grieve for patients as well. As Hospice Nurse, Lauren Messina, MA, BSN, RN put it “seeing the names of my patients at the memorial service gave me a sense of closure.”

 

One of the family members in attendance expressed her immense gratitude for our continuum of care. Her husband had been under our home health services for rehabilitation therapy but, after recognizing a decline in his health, he was referred to our ComfortWell hospice services. She expressed how easy and smooth the transition had been. From home health to hospice, she was in awe of the high caliber of RVNAhealth staff who visited her husband.


A second RVNAhealth Hospice Memorial will be held this coming fall in New Milford for families and friends of our ComfortWELL patients in the northern territory.

 

For more information on RVNAhealth’s ComfortWELL hospice services, please visit our website, or call 203.438.5555.

RVNAhealth Spring Breakfast: Community Comes Together to Care for Neighbors

RVNAhealth will be hosting its 21st Annual Spring Breakfast on Friday, April 29 at The Amber Room in Danbury. After a two-year hiatus, the RVNAhealth Board of Directors, Spring Breakfast Committee, and staff cannot wait to celebrate with friends and neighbors from towns across Connecticut.

Each year, the Spring Breakfast brings together 400 local business leaders, medical professionals, community groups, and RVNAhealth supporters to welcome spring and raise funds critical to patient care and program support.  Funds raised allow RVNAhealth to care for patients and clients regardless of age, diagnosis, or financial circumstances and make a lasting impact on the lives of those served. It’s truly an inspiring morning and a great way to start the day!

This year’s impact speaker is Kate Denoyer Fitzpatrick, CEO & Founder of Kate Fitzpatrick Consulting.  A long-time volunteer at RVNAhealth, Fitzpatrick has also experienced the love, comfort, and compassionate care of RVNAhealth, firsthand.

You’re invited to be a sponsor or table host at this year’s event, which will include a delicious breakfast, Fitzpatrick’s compelling testimonial, live auction, and raffle with dozens of prizes.

If you are interested in supporting the Spring Breakfast, you may purchase sponsorships or tables online at RVNAhealth.org or contact Julia Douglas, Development Manager, at 203.438.5555, x1018 or jdouglas@rvnahealth.org.

 

‘Twas the Season — Warm, Generous, Fun

One of the reasons RVNAhealth is a top workplace year after year is because of the friendships and partnerships we have — both within our organization, and with others. They enrich our days and our work, and are just plain fun. Continue reading

RVNAhealth Unveils Pat’s Path

On Thursday, October 28, RVNAhealth unveiled a distinctive memorial renovation, officially called ‘Pat’s Path,’ in the RVNAhealth Rehabilitation & Wellness Center. The Path is a gift from the Patricia M. and Robert H. Martinsen Foundation and is a tribute to Patricia ‘Pat’ Martinsen who died in 2020.Continue reading

RVNAhealth Autumn Dinner – 2021

On September 25th RVNAhealth hosted its annual Autumn Dinner at the Amber Room Colonnade in Danbury. Friends and supporters of our organization came together to celebrate our recent merger with Bethel Visiting Nurse Association and New Milford Visiting Nurse & Hospice. Together, the three agencies have become one dynamic healthcare organization, better positioned to address the growing needs of our patients and communities and respond to future healthcare challenges.

The event also honored our exceptional staff for their steadfast commitment to their neighbors throughout the past year and a half. Those in attendance were moved by RVNAhealth’s mission to deliver unmatched, compassionate healthcare when and where it is needed. The event sponsors, advertisers, and all in attendance helped us raise nearly $250,000 to support our continued work within the community.

The evening featured a bourbon tasting sponsored by Ancona’s Wines & Liquors, live music by Nick DePuy sponsored by Casey Energy, and beautiful, autumnal centerpieces graciously designed and donated by Mary Jones at Rodier Flowers. The flowers were so stunning they were gifted to hospice and homebound patients, so they could be enjoyed well past the event itself.

On behalf of the Board of Directors and RVNAhealth staff, we extend our heartfelt appreciation to Adam Broderick for serving as the evening’s impact speaker and sharing his decades-long relationship with our organization. Thank you to our event chairs, Suzanne and Shane Casey, and every member of the Autumn Dinner committee for their time, enthusiasm, hard work and dedication in planning and organizing this memorable event. 

Until next year… We wish you WELL!

Danbury Farmers’ Market and RVNAhealth Team Up for Vax + Veggies

RVNAhealth and the Danbury Farmers’ Market are teaming up to host Vax + Veggie this summer. Vax + Veggie is simple — every Friday from June 25 through August 27, RVNAhealth will be on-site at the Danbury Farmers’ Market to provide COVID-19 education and vaccines for all those interested, ages 12+.  No IDs or Insurance are required — everyone can just come as they are!Continue reading

Thank You Very Much!

Fairfield County’s Giving Day 2021 was a tremendous success, with $2,250,154 raised from 14,828 individuals, benefitting 394 nonprofits in our region. As a participating nonprofit, RVNAhealth received just more than $10,000 in contributions from generous donors wanting to assist in our pandemic response. Continue reading

Wake Up to the RVNAhealth Spring Breakfast

A Meaningful Way to Start Your Day

The 18th Annual RVNAhealth Spring Breakfast fundraiser will be held on Friday, April 27th, at 7:30am, at the Amber Room in Danbury.  Every year, this event brings together 400 area business leaders, medical professionals, community groups, and RVNAhealth friends to celebrate spring in a truly meaningful way – by supporting RVNAhealth programs and services.  Funds raised at the Breakfast help RVNAhealth continue to offer the highest quality home healthcare services, physical rehabilitation, and educational programs, and have a direct impact on our ability to serve the uninsured or under-insured in need of our help.

This exciting, fast-moving event is hardly your typical sit-down affair.  Table hosts pour coffee for their guests who, in turn, tip them for their service.  Table hosts also sell raffle tickets to their dining companions and encourage them to bid on the extravagant live-auction items.  Golf outings, a catered affair in your home, Broadway, Yankee and Mets tickets start off the fun.  Things will really heat up when a weeklong retreat in New Mexico, a 6-day/6-night African safari, and an extensive fitness package (think new bike, nutritional counseling, and entrance into the coveted Ridgefield Tri) go on the auction block.

The Annual Spring Breakfast is RVNA’s largest fundraiser of the year and has an immeasurable impact on the reach of our programs.  As always, in addition to the fun “table service,” auction, and raffles, the event will include a fascinating speaker who has been positively affected by our organization.  The fast-moving morning is a great way to kick off a spring day, starting promptly at 7:30am, and wrapping up at 9am.

For more information or to purchase a table, please contact RVNAhealth Development Manager, Jaime Bonner, at 203-438-5555

The 2018 RVNA Health & Wellness Fair is Here!

Saturday, April 21, 10am – 3pm

Health Screenings, Activities, and Fun for the whole family!

East Ridge Middle School
10 East Ridge Road
Ridgefield CT

* Extended hours & additional parking this year *

Spring is in the air, and that means it’s time for the annual RVNA Health & Wellness Fair. It’s the perfect opportunity to take stock of your health, learn something new, and get a fresh start for the season. Scheduled for Saturday, April 21, from 10am to 3pm at East Ridge Middle School in downtown Ridgefield, the event boasts over 90 exhibitors and has something for everyone in the family.

From health practitioners offering free screenings and valuable information to wellness professionals and community groups providing fun activities and demonstrations, you’re sure to have your health examined, your questions answered, and your interest piqued. The event brings together RVNA’s clinicians with other local experts in traditional medicine, alternative therapies, and integrative health.  It is made possible through the generous donations of sponsors, including BMW of Ridgefield, Maplewood Senior Living, and Boehringer Ingelheim, among others.

Free Screenings and Expertise from Head to Toe

Free onsite screenings include vision and hearing exams, a mini mental health evaluation, and blood pressure, carotid artery, and lung function testing. Concerned about sun exposure? Come for a free skin cancer screening. Looking to improve your running performance – how about a gait analysis or foot exam?  You’ll receive detailed test results that you can take with you – no fee, no appointment, and no insurance card needed!

Have a burning health question? Just “Ask the Expert.” There will be audiologists, dermatologists, doctors, doulas, orthopedists, podiatrists, and RVNA’s own registered dietitian, Meg Whitbeck, onsite to answer questions and offer expertise. If stress is your thing, and you’re looking to add a bit of Zen to your hectic life, try out a chair massage, learn about dry needle acupuncture, explore meditation and stress relief treatments, or spend some time with a pet therapy dog.

RVNA: Host and Exhibitor

In addition, RVNA’s nurses will be offering cholesterol, glucose, and anemia testing. Physical therapists from Rehab by RVNA will provide balance testing and exercise tips to keep you rock steady.  HomeCare by RVNA, which offers non-medical homecare services, and the newly developing Hospice by RVNA will both be on hand to provide information on services available to families and their loved ones who need help at home or are facing life-limiting illness.

RVNAhealth will also be accepting donations of healthy, non-perishable food items for its Food Pantry, which helps provide food for its homebound patients in need.

Serious Fun, All at the Same Time

Without a doubt, the RVNA Health & Wellness Fair is always an enjoyable and enlightening day for the community. But, for some people, it can be life changing. “Every year, at least one person’s life is saved by the RVNA Health & Wellness Fair,” says Barbara Newland, RVNAhealth Director of Business and Community Partnerships. “At last year’s Fair alone, there were over 150 referrals for medical care because of notable screening results. In previous years, a pre-cancerous lesion was discovered during a skin cancer screening, and a blocked carotid artery was found in a middle-aged man.  It’s wonderful to be able to have such an immediate effect on someone’s health,” Newland adds.

Community service organizations participating in this year’s event include Rides for Ridgefield, Meals on Wheels of Ridgefield, BLAST Lyme Disease Prevention, the Connecticut chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association of America, the Women’s Center of Greater Danbury, ROAR, and more. The Ridgefield Fire Department will be offering hands-only CPR instruction; Ben’s Bells will have a fun activity for adults and children alike; and various senior living communities will be there to provide information and answer questions.

“RVNAhealth has been caring for the community for over 100 years, and the Health & Wellness Fair has been an important part of our history,” says Newland. “We’re proud to be able to bring so many dedicated professionals together in one place and encourage everyone to take advantage of what the day has to offer.”

And it’s all Free!

The RVNA Health & Wellness Fair is free, open to the public, and no appointments are necessary. Ample parking is available at East Ridge Middle School, and additional parking is available St. Andrew’s Church (6 Ivy Hill Road), Winter Garden Ice Arena (111 Prospect Ridge), RVNAhealth (27 Governor Street), and Veterans Park Elementary School (8 Governor Street). Complimentary shuttle service will be provided by Ridgefield Crossings and Riva’s Rides.