VNA will care for those who are without resources — the growing number of individuals and families who are marginalized and could otherwise not access care.

Nebraska is a new market for Amedisys Home Health and will operate under that name. Amedisys Hospice already has a presence in Nebraska and Iowa, operating under AseraCare Hospice, an Amedisys Company, which will continue after the transaction is complete. We are committed to making this transition of care as seamless as possible for our patients.

People are at the heart of everything we do and our greatest asset, and the same is true at Amedisys. No jobs are immediately impacted. Our combined priority will continue to focus on providing the very best home health and hospice care to patients and their families. This means doing our best to retain as many of our caregivers and colleagues as possible to continue providing the exceptional care for which VNA is known.

Employees have had the opportunity to discuss the transition via Best Care EAP counselors and weekly updates from both the VNA and Amedisys team.

Amedisys is a leading healthcare at home company delivering personalized home health, hospice and personal care across 39 states and the District of Columbia. With approximately 21,000 employees in 514 care centers, Amedisys shares VNA’s commitment to quality, compassionate patient care.

By continuing VNA Home Health and Hospice care operations, Amedisys will provide additional scale and resources that will expand the opportunities to care for more patients and expand Home Health and Hospice services to more communities across Nebraska and Iowa.

Current VNA clients who utilize insurance for Home Health and Hospice care will transition, if they choose to do so, to Amedisys — and will continue to receive excellent care from the nurses they already know.

Additional information on VNA’s gifting account is provided below.

Visiting Nurse Association Gifting Account
DTC Number: 0361
Account Number: 4285-9243

Account Custodian:
D.A. Davidson & Co
450 Regency Parkway
Suite 400
Omaha, NE 68114
402-898-1700

If the shares are currently held in an account, you will need to contact the custodian of that account and identify the specific shares you want to donate, provide them with Visiting Nurse Association’s Gifting Account information and follow their procedures to complete the process.

If you are in possession of the physical stock certificates, you are able to deposit them into Visiting Nurse Association’s Gift Account by completing a Stock Power form, which can be provided by the gift account’s custodian.

If you are considering a Qualified Charitable Distribution Gift from your Individual Retirement Account, you must be 70 ½ or older and taking required minimum distributions from your Individual Retirement Account.

To make a pledge designation of up to three (3) years, complete the pledge commitment form by clicking HERE. Return your form to Carole Patrick, Vice President of Development and Communications, via email cpatrick@vnatoday.org or via the mailing address listed above.

To contribute a check payable to the endowment fund, please mail it to us at:
Visiting Nurse Association
C/o Endowment
12565 West Center Road, Suite 100
Omaha, NE 68144

Secure online donations are accepted at vnatoday.org/donate. Under “My Gift Will Support,” click Endowment.

A plan of care is created based upon the following concepts: promoting the client’s health, wellness and responsibility for their own care, as well as the client’s activity and responsibility within their daily routine. A motivated client and a consistent caregiver working through this together contributes to the success of our program.

Home health aides provide non-nursing services like bathing, personal hygiene, therapeutic care and light housekeeping. Services are conducted in the client’s residence.

Individuals who have a history of falls or physical limitations, have safety issues such as getting in and out of the shower, or who have limited family support or are living alone may be eligible for our services.

This program often keeps families from using Emergency Room visits or other medical services unnecessarily, by educating them on what is normal and when to call a doctor. The ongoing support they receive means families in our community have the best possible start in life.

You can expect personalized care from an expert nurse, delivered with kindness. We work with you and your doctor to design a treatment plan based on your specific situation. This one-on-one attention means your child will have the medical care he or she needs.

As soon as an expectant mom finds out she’s pregnant, it’s a good idea to give us a call if you think she could use our services! Contact Deanna Schlautman at dschlautman@vnatoday.org
or (402) 930-4083 for more information.

During a typical visit the parent coach will assist the parent to identify and set individual goals, the coach will provide education on life skill development, healthy relationships, parenting topics and refer to community resources, when needed. The nurse will complete maternal-child assessments including weight and developmental assessments of the infant/child, provide education on health, safety, nutrition, and a variety of parenting strategies, and collaborate with other providers working with the family.

Outcomes of this program include the reduction and prevention of child abuse, an increase in family involvement and support, an increase of babies born at healthy birth weights, and an increase in the number of fully-immunized infants.

Project WIN is a free home visitation program offered by VNA for families in Douglas, Sarpy and Pottawattamie counties.

Families whose income is at or less than 250 percent of the Federal Poverty Level are eligible for services. We welcome non- or limited-English speaking families! Other screening requirements may apply – please contact Deanna Schlautman at dschlautman@vnatoday.org or (402) 930-4083.

VNA customizes the services provided based on the needs identified and the resources the school has available. These can include:

• Identifying students with special needs and work with parents to develop action plans
• Health evaluations
• Guidance and care for children who are ill
• Height, weight, vision, hearing and oral screenings
• Immunization record reviews and reporting
• Communicable disease control and prevention
• Wellness education
• Referrals for primary care, community resources and education programs
• Staff training in areas like infection control, medication administration, CPR and first aid, and the mandated emergency asthma and anaphylaxis protocol

No two days are the same but, usually, the nurse will check in with school administrators to get updates on changes on any individual students receiving special care. The nurse focuses on providing services the school has identified as a priority. And, of course, the daily focus can change quickly if an emergency situation arises.

VNA nurses provide these services, among others:

• Health assessments and screenings
• Early detection of illnesses and prompt treatment
• Preventative healthcare and teaching
• Education on positive coping skills
• First aid and injury care
• Chronic disease monitoring and education
• Nutritional assessments and education
• Prenatal, childbirth and breastfeeding education and support
• Post-partum and infant assessments
• Positive parenting education
• Referrals to primary care and community resources to meet individual needs

About half of Omaha’s homeless population is seen by VNA nurses, which is no simple task. At the beginning of each day, the nurses typically check in with shelter or program staff for updates and current priorities. They begin to see new clients and existing clients as they request services. When time permits they seek out clients to follow up and provide support. The nurses facilitate appointments and advocate for the clients with other community service providers frequently throughout the day.