Last week, we announced our intent to affiliate with the Visiting Nurse Association of America (VNAA) and ElevatingHOME (EH). While EH is a relatively new organization, visiting nurses and VNAA have a remarkable past:
“The history of visiting nurses dates back to the 1880s in the northeast United States, where free nursing care was provided to the sickest and poorest populations who otherwise would not have access to health care. The influx of immigrants to the northeast spurred several VNAs to emerge and address the increased prevalence of illness and infectious diseases, such as polio and smallpox. Lillian D. Wald pioneered this form of public health nursing. VNAA’s members still embody Wald’s founding principles by sharing the desire to provide cost-effective, compassionate home-based care to some of the nation’s most vulnerable individuals, especially older adults and individuals with disabilities.”
Compassionate care to vulnerable individuals… sound familiar?
Whether it’s recruiting and training a high-quality workforce, exploring technologies that can connect practitioners with people in their homes, navigating complicated regulations, or figuring out new payment models, LeadingAge and VNAA/EH members have much in common.
Together, we will have an even greater impact in advocating for sound public policy, in serving our members, and in fostering innovative practices that will lead to the transformation in service delivery.
Over the next several months, our 3 organizations will move forward in the process of achieving strategic and operational alignment as VNAA/EH become part of LeadingAge pending a VNAA/EH member vote as required by their bylaws. We believe that bringing together VNAA’s clinical practice expertise, ElevatingHOME’s commitment to strengthen home-based care, and LeadingAge’s tradition of serving the full continuum with our focus on shaping the future creates significant and exciting opportunities for all of us.
Our organizations have shared visions, similar missions and a deep commitment to service. We all support high quality, person-centered care for individuals in whatever setting they call home.
I look forward to getting to know VNAA/EH and their members. We see a tremendous opportunity to combine our strengths to advance our field. In the months and years to come, we will do great work together.
I am grateful to the leadership of VNAA and ElevatingHOME for their trust in LeadingAge and look forward to a successful future.