Information about
Rehabilitation and Visiting Nurse Association
MISSION STATEMENT:
The mission statement of Rehabilitation and Visiting Nurse Association is to provide quality home health care and related services to the residents of northern Colorado with professional skill and compassion.
To fulfill this mission, we will provide preventive, healing, rehabilitative, palliative, and end of life services through a collaborative system of professionals and paraprofessionals; preserve the dignity of each individual regardless of creed, race, sex, age, disability, or social status; maintain standards of excellence in all aspects of patient care; and operate in a cost-effective and financially responsible manner.
Brief history of organization:
In 1979 RVNA became a 501(c)3 and opened its doors to the first patient. Prior to RVNA's inception the only home health care services available within Weld County were provided through the Weld County Health Department which had its' own advisory committee - - comprised of a board of citizens - - that oversaw the scope of service and program policies. Based on this advisory committee's recommendations the Weld County Commissioners conducted a feasibility study of the healthcare providers, community leaders, and consumers to determine the necessity for an agency with the capability to provide expanded services that would be dedicated to home care services. The results of this study were convincing and the RVNA was formed. For years, RVNA worked collaboratively with the Larimer County Visiting Nurse Association. Unfortunately, in 1986 the Larimer County Visiting Nurse Association ceased operation and RVNA assumed responsibilities for their clients in the area. In March of 1986, a sister organization to RVNA was formed (RVNA Home Care Services) in response to the requests of the elderly and handicap clients who were in an increasing need for maintenance-type services. This agency required its separate incorporation status due to Medicare requirements. However, over time Medicare requirements and payments changed and the two agencies were able to merge under the auspices of RVNA Home Care Services on January 1, 2003, which resulted in the current agency - - Rehabilitation and Visiting Nurse Association. Amazingly, over the past 30 years, RVNA has only had two Executive Directors!
How many total clients are served annually:
888 unduplicated clients were served during 2008 in Larimer and Weld Counties.
What are the demographics of the population
that is being served:
2008
Gender
Number of Male Clients 357
Number of Female Clients 531
TOTAL NUMBER OF CLIENTS SERVED 888
Age
0 to 5 years 80
6 to 12 years 22
13 to 18 years 4
19 to 30 years 28
31 to 54 years 105
55 to 74 years 279
75+ years 370
TOTAL NUMBER OF CLIENTS SERVED 888
Ethnic Origin
Anglo American 731
Hispanic 122
African American 6
Other/ Unknown 29
TOTAL NUMBER OF CLIENTS SERVED 888
Current major initiatives:
A. Enhancing quality of life: allowing the client to remain at home and have enhanced self-empowerment to have choice and independence in his/her daily routine
B. Decreasing admissions to hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities
C. Preventing exacerbation of a disease or health problem
D. Providing supportive services which maintain families intact, allowing family caregivers to focus their time and energies on love and nurturing support and on surviving the trials and challenges when a loved one has a disability or life-threatening illness
E. Assisting clients in their personal care to allow them to remain in their least restrictive environment.
F. Teaching families and other care givers how to become self-sufficient in providing the interventions needed in acute or chronic illness;
G. Providing acute health care interventions as necessary.
What is the greatest challenge you foresee for your organization in the next year:
The greatest challenge to the agency in providing this service continues to be the exponentially increasing requests for services from the underinsured or uninsured population which is growing daily and the agency with very limited funding available for the target population. Many residents are without health insurance; this is exacerbated with the current economy. Access to care is becoming more and more of an issue; this is especially apparent in the working adult population. As the government faces more financial restraints, the benefits provided to the various target populations are significantly tightening. Insurance coverage is more restrictive based on networking and general decrease in benefits. Community resources are also scarcer in the face of economic hard times. The adult, non-geriatric population is a very difficult population to get funded for health care related assistance. The agency diligently reviews requests and ongoing services to provide the most care for the funding.
The controlled use of this funding to have finances available for needs throughout the fiscal year is a constant challenge. We meet these challenges as best we can by closely monitoring services provided through grants, considering primarily short-term care. We are always looking for any additional funding to assist with support for these people who would otherwise go without. Despite financial constraints, RVNA provides quality care while constantly triaging the needs.
How are Empty Stocking funds expended to
benefit your clients:
Rehabilitation and Visiting Nurse Association is a newly designated agency this year.
"RVNA is grateful for the opportunity to participate in the Empty Stocking Fund program this year. It is an honor and
a privilege to be included. We have numerous requests for services and this will be a benefit to providing the access
to care the financially challenged need."