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11/11/2011 — Home Care: Because There Is No Place Like Home

At the end of October Minority Leader, Assemblyman Brian Kolb, participated in a home health care visit with one of Finger Lakes Visiting Nurse Service's patients. During the home health care visit Assemblyman Kolb demonstrated compassion and understanding of some of the struggles our patients face each day.

Assemblyman Kolb was able to witness first hand how our agency is able to provide excellent medical care and home monitoring for consistent disease management. Our tele-health program not only keeps patient's physicians up to date, but it also helps decrease emergency physician office visits, emergency room visits and costly re-admissions back into the hospital. The price of providing tele-health in the home versus the expense of hospitalization is a considerable cost savings.

Also highlighted during the visit was the legislation sponsored by Assemblyman Gottfried and Senator Hannon (A.8522/S.5853) as well as an additional approach to payment reform conceptualized by the Visiting Nurse Service of New York which propose changes to the Long Term Home Health Care Program to further align the program for the Comprehensive Care Management (CCM) role envisioned in the state's new long term care policy and in the various elements of the CCM principles.

People like to know they can be cared for in the comfort of their own home with the one-on-one individualized attention they get from Finger Lakes Visiting Nurse Service's home health care providers. Patients often comment that they don't know what they would do without us. For more information about Finger Lakes Visiting Nurse Service call 1-800-253-4439.

11/11/2011 — Home Care: Because There Is No Place Like Home

The famous nurse, Clara Barton, said, "The door that nobody else will go in at, seems always to swing open widely for me". Finger Lakes Visiting Nurse Service (FLVNS) celebrates November as National Home Care & Hospice month and salutes the thousands in the industry that choose to go through the door and into homes to help our neighbors, family and friends who are sick and dying every day.

Today millions of America's seniors and disabled citizens depend on home health care services to remain healthy and stable at home. For two decades FLVNS has been caring for the elderly, disabled and chronically ill members of our community providing a dignified and highly efficient method of treatment. Our nurses, therapists, social workers and home health aides travel more than 104,000 miles per year doing the work they do best. Decisions about health care for oneself or a loved one are difficult to make. In recent years modern medical technology has made great advances and people are not hospitalized for long durations. Typically we provide home care for post surgical patients. We know how frightening it is for patients to come home feeling weak and sick, with not yet healed wounds and scores of new medications. Our patients and their families praise our clinicians for their compassionate care, dedication and the excellent service they provide.

In Ontario and Yates Counties our hospice team provide amazing support that allows many patients to spend their final days in comfort and dignity. Ontario-Yates Hospice, a program of Finger Lakes Visiting Nurse Service, provides physical, psychological, and social assistance for people who have made a conscience decision not to pursue curative treatments for a life-limiting illness. We provide hospice care for terminally ill people in their own homes, nursing homes, 2 bed comfort homes and Hospeace House, a 4-bed hospice residence. Hospice care workers, which include registered nurses, home health aides, social workers, clergy and volunteers, help ensure that their patients can spend valuable time with loved ones.

People like to know they can be cared for in the comfort of their own home with the one-on-one individualized attention they get from our health care providers. Patients often comment that they don't know what they would do without us. For more information about Finger Lakes Visiting Nurse Service call 1-800-253-4439.

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11/10/2011 — Ontario-Yates Hospice Annual Fall Wine Maker's Dinner and Auction

Ventosa Vineyards, Geneva, NY----Michael Healy, Retired Air Force Colonel and Ontario-Yates Hospice Volunteer was the Master of Ceremonies for a fun paced and enjoyable auction Friday, November 4th at Ventosa Vineyards in Geneva, NY.

The occasion was the Ontario-Yates Hospice annual fall wine maker's dinner and auction. The festive evening began with cocktails and hors d'oeuvres, followed by a silent auction and elegant five course dinner with wine pairing from area wineries. Participating wineries included; Glenora Wine Cellars, Anthony Road Wine Company, Billsboro Winery, Lakewood Vineyards and Ventosa Vineyards. The climax of the night was the live auction event. The evening's attendance was just over 125 people supporting Hospice by raising over $14,000.

Ontario-Yates Hospice is a program of Finger Lakes Visiting Nurse Service and is for people who have made a conscious decision not to pursue curative treatment for a life-limiting illness. Our team of caregivers works closely with the patient and family, physician and friends assisting in every way possible and to keep the patient comfortable. Our holistic approach allows our team of nurses, physician, spiritual caregiver, social worker and volunteers to meet the physical, spiritual, and emotional needs of those in the program. Many times insurance does not cover the entire cost for care and our important fund-raising events help to bridge that gap. For more information about our home care agency call 800-253-4439.