Sharks, Weddings and Pro Athletes! Here Are Our Latest Hidden Talents!
December 5, 2023–Welcome to the latest edition of Frontline’s “Hidden Talents”—featuring profiles of your colleagues with special skills you may not have known about! Do you have a hidden talent that you’d like to share in Frontline, or do you know someone else at VNS Health who does? We’d love to hear about it! Just send us a message by clicking here. Dodging Sharks and Going the Distance: Ultramarathon Swimmer, Lori King Lori King’s VNS Health colleagues know her as a dedicated Research Analyst at the Center for Home Care Policy & Research. To the world of athletics, however—and well beyond—Lori is a trailblazing open-water ultramarathon swimmer. Here are just some of her awe-inspiring achievements: Dangerous currents and nasty sea creatures aren’t the only challenges Lori has overcome in her swimming career. “I swam all the way through school and competed in college, but I always had terrible performance anxiety and stressed
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Team Highlights
VNS Health and Columbia Nursing Study Featured in Daily Nurse
November 28, 2023–
20 Minutes with Dan: Caring for Older New Yorkers—from “Grand Dames” to the 100-Year-Old-Plus Club!
October 24, 2023–In this latest episode of “20 Minutes with Dan,” CEO Dan Savitt spotlights how team members are delivering our mission to patients, members and clients in their 80s, 90s and even 100s. Watch this “five-hanky episode” here bellow. On-the-Go Segments Dan’s Intro, “How We Care” Team Member Slide Show, and “I’m a Grand Dame!” Cameo—Part 1 101-Year-Old Ruth and HHA Veronica Egharevba, RN Judith Spencer-Thomas and PT Steve Wong—Part 2 “Uncle Lew’s” Story with Care Coordinator Yan Ying Su and HHA Shu Mei Guan—Part 3 Justina’s Story With Psychiatric Social Worker Evelyn Pozo—Part 4 Rosa’s Story with Geriatric Mental Health Specialist Beth Glick and a Big High 5—Part 5
Over 70 Team Members Created These Amazing Consumer Experiences!
October 10, 2023–Read them all in the latest batch of Letters and Commendations VNS Health team members once again showed how amazing they are through their empathy, resilience, and dedication! Here are excerpts from many recent letters, phone calls, and emails we’ve received from grateful patients, members, and clients, as well as family members, that reflect an outstanding consumer experience. For patient letters and member commendations by geography, click on the area below: Bronx “She was the kindest and most compassionate person ever.” Home health aide Shernett Douglas was recently praised by her patient’s daughter. “She was the kindest and most compassionate person ever,” said the patient’s daughter—adding, “Shernett was such a blessing for my mother.” “A wonderful experience.” A patient called to compliment physical therapist Jermaine Lee, stating that Jermaine was “wonderful. He was very patient and worked me through everything.” She also noted that Jermaine was “courteous and well mannered.” “One of
Mott Haven Herald Reports on VNS Health’s Expanding BH Services in the Bronx, Featuring Takeaways from Patricia Kissi
November 28, 2023–
Natalie Kovacs, Parachute Program Coordinator, Speaks to Authority Magazine on Family Approaches to Treating Schizophrenia
November 17, 2023–
HomeCare Magazine Spotlights the Importance of Culturally Sensitive BH Care, Featuring Insights from Evelyn Pozo, Psychiatric Social Worker
October 25, 2023–
Senior Community Center Coordinator Christine Chan Shares Heartwarming Story of Family Her Team Helped Thrive
October 24, 2023–
Our VNS Health Experts Testify … Bills Get Passed, Programs Get Funded!
August 22, 2023–Vulnerable New Yorkers, including those living with mental illness as well as members of the LGBTQ+ community, will have more support and better access to care in New York City, thanks in part to the recent testimony of VNS Health experts and the mission-driven advocacy of our Government Affairs team. The Need: Improve access to community-based behavioral health services throughout New York City. VNS Health Expert: Jessica Fear, Senior Vice President, Behavioral Health Jessica’s Testimony: In May, Jessica testified to the City Council’s Committee on Mental Health, Disabilities and Addictions to advocate for the people VNS Health serves every day. “The individuals and families we serve are no different from you and me, except they exhibit a higher incidence of trauma, anxiety, and depression,” Jessica told the committee. “They often need assistance accessing benefits and basic necessities such as housing, food, and medication.” As Jessica noted in her testimony,
Neighborhood Spotlight: Our Mission Is Alive and Well in New York’s Chinese American Communities!
August 9, 2023–Through the streets of Chinatown, Sunset Park and Flushing, this video celebrates some of New York’s most distinctive cultural treasures—and the care that VNS Health team members have been providing to the Chinese American community for nearly two decades. Watch our Community Center teams in action here below! A special thank you to team members Barbara Yau and John Wong for providing the English voices for Mrs. Leong and Mr. Mo.
Home Care Association Spotlights Lauren Campbell, Emergency Management and Employee Safety Director
November 30, 2023–
Strength from Within Update: Today is #GivingTuesday!
November 28, 2023–Today is Giving Tuesday. Created in 2012 as a day to encourage people to do good, the day now inspires hundreds of millions of people across the globe to give to charitable causes. That includes right here at VNS Health. Our Strength from Within Employee Giving Campaign is now in full swing. Since its launch last month, the campaign has raised more than $73,500 to help address health disparities throughout New York neighborhoods through our charitable care and community benefit programs. How to Donate To make a gift, visit vnshealth.org/strengthfromwithin. Donations can be made through payroll deduction, credit card, or check. No matter how much you choose to give, your gift will be making an important difference in the lives of our vulnerable neighbors. The 2023 Strength from Within Employee Giving Campaign ends on December 31st. Matching $40,000 Gift This year, VNS Health’s Executive Leadership Team has pledged to match $40,000 in donations. BINGO Anyone? For those looking
NY Social Diary Puts a Special Spotlight on 2023 Benefit Gala
November 20, 2023–
NY1 Noticias Shares Stories of Thanks at Annual Health Plans Turkey Giveaway
November 21, 2023–English Transcript: Transcript: Anchor: Due to the difficult economic situation faced by many New Yorkers, hundreds of people in upper Manhattan received free turkeys a week before Thanksgiving. Reporter Jean Paul Dávila was there to hear from them, as they tell us what they are grateful for this year. Reporter: As the rhythm of the music played, José Rafael Tabárez took a few steps. He told us he was thankful for many things, and not just for the free turkey. José Rafael Tabárez: Well, I am grateful for many things. I had cancer and recovered. I also have opportunities to get a turkey here. Reporter: Thanksgiving is just days away, and the Dominican Medical Center and VNS Health delivered more than 300 turkeys to the community. In many cases, people in the community do not have enough to buy the ingredients for Thursday’s dinner. With a turkey the whole family
Univision 41 Spotlights VNS Health Health Plans Annual Turkey Giveaway in Washington Heights
November 21, 2023–Transcript in English: Today the Dominican Medical Center and the organization VNS Health distributed free turkeys to the community just days before Thanksgiving. The annual free turkey giveaway brought smiles to hundreds of families in the Washington Heights community.
See Our Community Outreach in Action!
November 8, 2023–From street fairs and health fairs to neighborhood celebrations, representatives from our Health Plans and other VNS Health teams are a familiar presence around New York City. In this video “VNS Health In-Action” reporter Isaac Lama is on the scene to interview Community Outreach team members and residents of the community about how VNS Health has impacted their lives. Watch here below to see this lively report on why our Community Outreach teams are so important.
Home Health Care News Dives into Study from Columbia Nursing and VNS Health on Verbal Communication During In-Home Visits
November 29, 2023–
VNS Health and Columbia Nursing Study Featured in Daily Nurse
November 28, 2023–
NursingColleges.com Features Expertise from Clinical Director Monica Cayemitte on the Importance of Compassion in Nursing
November 1, 2023–
Sherl Brand, SVP Hospice Care, Shares How Hospice Clinicians Improve the Lives of Those They Serve
November 30, 2023–
Expansion of Hospice Education Campaign to Brooklyn Covered by NYN Media
November 2, 2023–
Hospice News Spotlights VNS Health in Story on Rebranding
October 31, 2023–
Neighborhood Spotlight: Supporting Family Caregivers Through the Hardest Times
November 28, 2023–Caring for a loved one who has progressive, degenerative disease can be extremely challenging, both physically and mentally. To watch this moving video about what it means to be a family caregiver—and how VNS Health can help relieve some of the burden—watch here below. To view more Neighborhood Spotlight videos, click here.
A Day in the Life of Jim Rolla, SVP, VNS Health Personal Care
November 14, 2023–Welcome to “A Day in the Life”—the Frontline series that follows team members from different parts of VNS Health as they go about a typical day fulfilling our organization’s mission—to improve the health and well-being of people through high-quality, cost-effective health care in the home and community. As Senior Vice President, Personal Care, Jim Rolla is responsible for managing thousands of VNS Health team members—including approximately 6,000 home health aides (HHAs) as well as HHA supervisors and schedulers, the nurses who do assessments and draw up and oversee Personal Care clients’ plans of care, and other team members in various support positions. To learn how Jim keeps everything running smoothly, we asked him to walk us through his typical day. 5:15 a.m. I get up at the same time every day. If this was the weekend, I would go to the gym now. Since it’s a weekday, however, I start
Personal Care Clinical Director Marzena Proszowska-Lambert Shares Tips on Dementia Caregiving for Daily Caring
October 24, 2023–
MobiHealthNews Shares Latest on Partnership Between VNS Health and Helpful
October 24, 2023–
Crain’s Health Pulse Spotlights VNS Health Partnership with Helpful on Caregiver App
October 24, 2023–
From HHA to RN: Donna Wilson’s Inspiring Journey
August 15, 2023–When Clinical Care Manager Donna Wilson started working as a home health aide (HHA) at VNS Health, she had a vision that she would one day become a registered nurse (RN). As a child growing up in Guyana, health care became her passion thanks to her paternal grandmother, who was a nurse. Her grandmother would often take Donna with her to work, where she mostly cared for elderly patients. “That’s where my love for the geriatric population began,” says Donna. “That feeling continues today. I have a love for seniors, and the sentiment seems to be mutual.” From HHA to RN Donna served as a teacher and an assistant tax inspector in Guyana prior to moving to the United States in 1989. In the U.S., she worked in insurance and banking before becoming an HHA in Personal Care (then known as Partners in Care). Donna was drawn to the position
