According to Tiffany Lee, if you have heart, anything is possible. Lee, a RVNAhealth music therapy hospice volunteer, would know. She is all heart. A Hong Kong native and second-year graduate student in Montclair University’s music therapy program, Lee is devoting her practicum, or field work, to hospice service where she…

There is nothing sad about the hospice experience; it’s actually quite joyful. So says Elise Kohler, hospice music therapy volunteer and junior-year undergraduate at Montclair State University where she is working toward a music therapy degree.

RVNAhealth and the Ridgefield Thrift Shop have been partners, friends, and neighbors for over 80 years. The collegiality continues today through the Ridgefield Thrift Shop Hospice Fund at RVNAhealth.

RVNAhealth music therapist, Sherrye Platt leverages the power of music to improve people's lives.

Stephanie has personally experienced how volunteers can make lives easier for patients and their families and is passionate about helping individuals understand what hospice really means.

The holidays, for some, bring cheer and hope of fresh beginnings as the calendar turns; for others, they are a reminder of loss and loneliness. In 2020, we have all been affected by loss in some way: meeting across screens rather than tables, faces obstructed by masks in public, and…

As part of National Hospice and Palliative Care Month this November, RVNAhealth has celebrated the work of our multi-disciplinary Hospice team. In addition to expert medical professionals, our Hospice team includes social workers, care managers, musical therapists, bereavement and spiritual care experts, and volunteers. Here, we explore the role of…

November is Hospice and Palliative Care month. And while palliative and hospice care share a kindred approach and certain commonalities, they are also distinct and independent practices. There are approximately 90 million people living with a serious illness in the U.S., and it is estimated that 6 million could benefit…

On Thursday, October 15, RVNAhealth hosted an outdoor concert for hospice patients and their families at Wilton Meadows. Featuring such musical treasures as Que Sera Sera, Let It Be, and Has Anybody Seen My Gal?, it was perfect entertainment on a glorious autumn afternoon.

When Duane Larsen, a Ridgefield resident and RVNAhealth hospice patient, could not find his treasured Green Bay Packers cap, his nurse sounded the alarm to the RVNAhealth Wishes team.

Felix, 93, was due for a new chair, and when On the Mend heard that his chair often serves as his bed for comfort, they went the luxurious route.

Pat is one of the happier stories to emerge from the coronavirus pandemic. She was considered to be at high risk for severe illness from the virus, so our hospice services were recommended to care for her.

RVNAhealth hospice patients Felix and Giuseppe found themselves desperately in need of a trim during the COVID-19 pandemic. Enter the RVNAhealth wishes program, which works to grant hospice patients their special wishes, both small and big.

for the professionals who have spent their days and nights caring for COVID-19 patients, on top of their own loved ones, grief and stress can run strong. RVNAhealth Hospice Social Worker Jana Wu, LCSW, LADC, leads support groups to help front-line workers navigate their feelings and dedicate a little time to themselves.…

This essay was written by Keri Linardi, RN, BSN, PHN, CHPCA, chief clinical officer at RVNAhealth. In her role, Linardi oversees all of RVNAhealth’s clinical service lines – home health, hospice, rehabilitation, and community health — as well as the Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement teams.

An Advance Care Plan provides direction to healthcare professionals when a person is not in a position to make and/or communicate their own healthcare choices, and it enables family and friends to follow a loved one’s wishes without the burden of trying to figure out what they are.

We are pleased to announce two additions to our leadership team: Julissa Garcia-Perez, Director of Quality Assurance/Process Improvement (QAPI) and Compliance, and Sally Santana, MHA, Hospice Director.

Fairfield County's Giving Day, on Feb. 27, is dedicated to unleashing generosity and supporting more than 400 nonprofits doing good work to make our community a vibrant place for all. This year, RVNAhealth will be directing contributions to ComfortWELL: Hospice Care to Provide Comfort and Peace.

World War II paratrooper. Educator. Grandfather. Loyal friend. These are just some of the words that come up in conversations with Edward Siergiej’s friends and family. In late 2019, he embarked on a special journey: A tour of some of places and sights from his boyhood in Danbury.

When an individual diagnosed with a life-limiting illness becomes an RVNAhealth Hospice patient, Cynthia Merritt, LCSW, is often the first member of our hospice team to meet and welcome the patient and family.

Above: Tammy Strom, MA-MTBC, plays her guitar at RVNAhealth’s headquarters on Governor Street in Ridgefield. When Tammy Strom, MA-MTBC, visits RVNAhealth hospice patients, she’s equipped with a distinctive set of clinical tools. A guitar. Piles and piles of sheet music and songbooks. And a variety of handheld musical instruments (think…

The following essay was written by Keri Linardi, RN, BSN, PHN, CHPCA, Chief Clinical Officer of RVNAhealth.  Keri is, has been, and always will be a hospice nurse — in addition to the other roles she assumes. Hospice care is part of Keri’s being, part of her heart and the…

November is National Hospice and Palliative Care Month. Hospice is a service that helps keep those diagnosed with a life-limiting condition and prognosis of six months or less – and their loved ones – as comfortable and peaceful as possible in the patient’s final stages of life. But many myths…

Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day – the winter holiday season – can be especially challenging for people who are grieving the death of a loved one. From Nov. 19 through Dec. 10, RVNAhealth will hold a Holiday Support Group, meeting on Tuesdays, 1:00pm – 2:30pm. The program is open to…

Julia Hergenrother admits that she didn’t know what to expect when she first inquired about volunteering. By summer’s end, one of her many takeaways was, “No matter how much time someone has left they have so much life to live before they pass.”