Personal Care
Latest Personal Care News
Personal Care Wins “2025 Best of Home Care Provider of Choice Award”
February 17, 2026–VNS Health Personal Care has been recognized as one of the nation’s top home care providers, earning the prestigious 2025 Best of Home Care® Provider of Choice Award from Activated Insights, a research firm serving the post-acute care industry. This honor is awarded to organizations that demonstrate exceptional client satisfaction, as measured through independent research and direct client feedback.
“You Are Heroes!” “Beyond Fabulous!” Check Out the Latest Letters and Commendations!
February 3, 2026–In the last few months, more than 100 team members and teams from across the organization provided such an outstanding consumer experience that people wrote letters, called, emailed, or posted about them. To view their grateful notes and comments, simply scroll down or click on any of the areas below: Bronx “Thanks for the amazing job she provided.” Home health aide Sarah Abban was complimented by the daughter of a Bronx client who called to say, “thanks for the amazing job she provided”—adding that her mom “felt great” with Sarah. “Very kind.” A client called to express her appreciation for home health aide Keshawn Davis, stating that Keshawn was “very kind” to her and provided “the best care.” Brooklyn “So impressed.” The daughter of one Brooklyn patient called to say how “very pleased” she was with VNS Health, and that she is “so happy with how far my mother has
Second Cohort Completes “Leadership Unlocked” Program
February 2, 2026–On January 21st, 13 leaders from across the organization successfully completed the second cohort of Leadership Unlocked. This 15-week leadership development program is designed to deepen leadership capabilities through interactive learning experiences, coaching, assessments, VNS Health site visits and internal networking opportunities. The cohort’s final projects aimed at improving our Employee Engagement Survey results by applying leadership insights directly to real organizational challenges. Congratulations to Josie Aquino, Justin Bain, Janice Leacock-Bennett, Carlin Brickner, Alissa Churchill, Ann Mary Ferrie, Kelly Harned, Roger Herr, Priya Mendon, Amy Mitchell, Tara Noto, Richard Parnell, and Nausheen Rokerya!
A Monster Snowstorm Doesn’t Faze Our Team Members! See Photos, Video!
January 27, 2026–Wow, what a snowstorm we just had! And now, freezing temps! But that doesn’t keep us from providing care to our patients, members and clients! To see snowstorm photos and a selfie video from team members sent in, look here below! If you have a snowstorm photo you’d like to share, please submit it to Frontline here, and we’ll add it to the gallery. Ernesto Aglibot, Hospice RN, did not let an iced-over wiper stop him from seeing patients!
We Asked Our HHAs: What Achievement Made You Most Proud? Read the Responses!
January 27, 2026–Each month, our Home Health Aide team members have a chance to answer a different question related to their work, hobbies, and other topics. The HHAs who respond get entered into a monthly raffle where they have a chance to win a gift card, and a selection of that month’s responses is also shared with the rest of their HHA colleagues. This past month, the question they answered was, “What achievement made you most proud in 2025?” Nearly 300 HHAs replied, and their responses were incredibly heartfelt—as you can see from the following examples. This month’s raffle winners are Nora Delgado de Bailon, Gloria Kingston, and Lourdes Villagran. Building Strong and Trusting Relationships Building strong and trusting relationships with clients and family members was one of the most often-mentioned achievements… Being the “Go-to Person” for Smiles and Words of Encouragement Another achievement many HHAs mentioned for 2025 was being able to bring joy
Building Relationships—A Day in the Life of HHA Supervisor Sally Kirton
January 20, 2026–Sally Kirton is a Home Health Aide (HHA) Supervisor for VNS Health Personal Care. As an HHA Supervisor, she manages the Home Health Aide services of clients who live in Brooklyn and Staten Island—an area that includes some of New York City’s most out-of-the-way neighborhoods to travel to, such as Coney Island. Sally is responsible for ensuring that all her assigned clients—many of whom are also enrolled in one of our Health Plans—have the HHA support they need to live safely at home. This includes making sure a replacement is found when an HHA team member is unable to work that particular day, that new cases are appropriately staffed, and that both our clients and our HHA team members are satisfied—all of which requires a great deal of problem-solving and relationship-building. Back in September at our Personal Care Awards ceremony, Sally received our Supervisor Superstar Award. It’s easy to see why when
Team Members in the News: December Highlights!
January 13, 2026–December may be a time when much of the world slows down, but when it comes to great stories in the press, VNS Health was full speed ahead last month! From our MAP and MLTC health plans achieving 5 Stars to powerful accounts of care and compassion delivered at home, our organization continues to make headlines,—reflecting the many ways VNS Health team members go above and beyond to make a difference in the lives of others so that they can continue to live at home and in their communities. Team members featured in December news stories include: Associated Press Highlights VNS Health MAP Plan’s 5-Star Ratings The Associated Press reported that VNS Health’s dual-eligible Medicaid Advantage Plus (MAP) plan, VNS Health Total (HMO D-SNP), earned a five-star Overall Quality Rating from the New York State Department of Health for the second consecutive year—making it once again the only MAP plan in the state
Last Month We Asked: “What Is Your Favorite Holiday Tradition?”
December 15, 2025–Over 400 Home Health Aide team members responded to our November raffle question— “What is your favorite holiday tradition?” The responses were heartwarming. One tradition—spending time with loved ones—was a clear frontrunner for the most beloved part of the holiday season, getting named in 74% of responses. Many HHAs also mentioned decorating their homes (37%) and cooking special meals (51%). Not surprisingly, more than a third of those who responded said they enjoy dedicating their free time to helping others, with many expressing the joy they feel in assisting their clients with their own holiday traditions. As we do each month, we took the names of all the HHA team members who participated in the November raffle question, put them all together, and drew three at random. The winning team members, who each received $100, were Rosario Perez, Kemona Bailey and Claudia Guerron. Remember, to be included in our monthly
Documentary Highlights NORC Program and Aging Safely in Community
November 22, 2025–The New York State Office for the Aging (NYSOFA) has released Aging in Community: A New York First Model, a new documentary that offers an in-depth look at New York’s innovative Naturally Occurring Retirement Community (NORC) program. The film features the powerful story of transformative friendship between VNS Health Personal Care NORC nurse Jana Kozlowski and her patient Bess Friedman, a widow who is navigating the challenges of losing her husband. In the video, Bess credits the bond and friendship she shares with Jana for helping her regain her sense of worth. “Jana is everything you could dream of,” said Bess. “She really listens to you.” Through stories like that of Jana and Bess, the documentary showcases how NORCs provide a comprehensive network of social and health services that help older adults remain independent and age safely in the community of their choice. To view the film, visit NYSOFA’s NORC