“I slept and I dreamed that life is all joy. I woke and I saw that life is all service. I served and I saw that service is joy.” – Kahlil Gibran
On a cool February day, 48-year-old *Jenny Gibson was puttering around in her garden when she suddenly felt lightheaded. “I had never felt like that before,” she says. “It was odd. I decided to go back inside my house but blacked out first.”
Fortunately, a neighbor saw her and called 911. The next thing Jenny remembers is waking up in an emergency room and the doctor telling her that she had a stroke. Upon discharge, the ER nurse ordered home health care, and she chose the VNA.
For a little over a month, Jenny received physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy three days a week, respectively. When she first started her care, she did not have the balance to walk across the room. Today, Jenny has no problem doing so and attributes her success to her VNA care team. “My caregivers were wonderful,” she says. “They really helped. I would not have been able to get better without them.”
Jenny did not have health insurance and would not have been able to afford home health care, but thanks to the VNA & Hospice Foundation’s Charitable Care program, she was able to receive the health services she so desperately needed and deserved. “I’m incredibly grateful,” says Jenny.
For 50 years, the VNA has stayed true to its mission of providing compassionate, innovative, high-quality care to patients in Indian River County, regardless of their ability to afford their care. And our talented home health team goes out of its way with each and every patient to tailor their plan of care to their specific needs. Some patients only require a few days or weeks of care, while others need long-term care for chronic illnesses such as COPD, diabetes or heart disease. Whatever a patient’s needs are, they will be met by compassionate, skilled clinicians in the comfort of their own home.
VNA has been able to maintain our commitment to the under and uninsured patients for 50 years thanks to the generous support of its donors. The importance of our benefactors cannot be overstated considering that the VNA is the only local home healthcare and hospice agency that accepts all patients regardless of their ability to pay. Our donors’ contributions to the VNA & Hospice Foundation make it possible for the VNA to provide charitable nursing care, rehabilitation therapy, end-of-life care and other home care services to the under or un-insured residents in our community, like Jenny. “If it hadn’t been for the VNA, I would not be able to do the important things in life, like walk my dog,” she says with a smile.
If you would like to learn more about the VNA & Hospice Foundation, please visit Vnatc.org
*This is not the patient’s real name
This information is for educational purposes. Please consult your physician regarding any medical issues. The Visiting Nurse Association of the Treasure Coast (VNA) is committed to bringing trusted and quality home health, private care and hospice to Indian River County patients. For more information about VNA services, call 772-567-5551 or visit www.vnatc.com.
