Milford, MA – The VNA and Hospice of Greater Milford is hosting a monthly bereavement support group for individuals and families seeking support with their grief and mourning over someone they loved. The meetings are free of charge and open to the public.

“Each individual’s grief is unique and personal,” says Bereavement Counselor Marjorie Gonzalez, LICSW, who leads the group. “Everyone’s grief journey will be respected as members come together to support one another by listening, sharing stories, and reflecting on ways that helped others in coping with their loss. Participants will learn various strategies to improve their sense of overall well-being and encourage a healthy grief process.”

The group meets the first Monday of each month from 6:30-8:00 p.m. at the VNA and Hospice of Greater Milford, 37 Birch Street, Milford, MA. Call Marjorie Gonzalez to register for the group or answer questions at (508) 473-0862.

Westborough, MA – SALMON Health and Retirement, widely recognized as a leader in senior housing and health care in this region for 60 years, announced that the local, family-owned and operated organization has officially acquired the VNA and Hospice of Greater Milford from Milford Regional Medical Center (MRMC) as of August 1, 2012.

SALMON is planning to merge the operations of their own SALMON Hospice Care with the VNA and Hospice of Greater Milford. The VNA will continue to be run by current Director of VNA Services Jean Masciarelli, RN, who has worked in healthcare for over 35 years. SALMON’s Director of Hospice Services, Michele McGovern, RN, will lead the merged hospice component. McGovern, a 16-year SALMON employee, helped to establish the company’s hospice services in 2008.

CEO of MRMC Francis M. Saba said, “When we began the process of seeking a buyer for our VNA, our first priority was to find an organization which we felt would maintain and further build upon the high quality and outstanding care that has been the hallmark of the Greater Milford VNA and Hospice since its beginning in 1918; SALMON Health and Retirement is that organization. Their fine reputation and stellar track record as providers of compassionate and superb post-acute care and assisted living services assures continued excellence in the care that will be provided by the VNA.” Continue reading →

Northbridge, MA – SALMON Hospice Care, part of SALMON Health and Retirement, is seeking compassionate volunteers 16 years or older to donate as little as an hour per week assisting the Hospice team by serving patients and families through their supportive and caring presence.

The goal of Hospice care is to provide patients with relief from avoidable pain and distress associated with the end of life. Volunteers will work with specially trained professionals and family members to create personal care that best meets the varied and changing needs of each individual.

Volunteers will accompany Hospice staff when they visit patients in their homes or in our skilled nursing centers, assisted living residences and independent living communities in Natick, Northbridge, Northborough, Westborough, and Worcester, to provide companionship.

All training and support will be provided by SALMON Hospice Care, including an informational session about the physical and emotional stresses experienced by Hospice patients and their families and an overview of their philosophy.

For more information about becoming a Hospice volunteer, contact SALMON Hospice Care Volunteer Coordinator Mike Metcalf at 508-234-4769 ext. 3073 or mmetcalf@SalmonHealth.com

Masciarelli receives
‘First Class Citizen Award’
from Tom McAuliffe, president of WMRC Radio 1490.

Jean Masciarelli, director of the VNA and Hospice of Greater Milford, was recently presented with the “First Class Citizen Award” by Tom McAuliffe, president of WMRC Radio 1490 AM in Milford. Jean has worked for the VNA of Milford for nine years. During that time, Jean has shown her commitment to providing excellent, compassionate care for the patients in many ways. When she first joined the VNA, she was instrumental in streamlining the computer capabilities of the department. This helped the organization remain competitive while allowing the staff to continue to focus on patient care.

Jean ensures the VNA staff often receives training on the latest treatment and equipment for nurses and therapists. The latest program, telehealth monitoring, has helped to keep patients home and out of the hospital by providing a daily check on the patient’s key vital signs. Jean’s most recent venture has been to create a hospice program for patients who have a life-ending illness. She believes that medical care in the home can be an effective and preferred choice for patients. The hospice program was the logical next step for the VNA.

Jean’s valuable contributions to the VNA and Hospice of Greater Milford made her a perfect candidate for WMRC’s First Class Citizen Award.

Congratulations Jean!

Patients who receive home healthcare from the Visiting Nurse Association of the Greater Milford-Northbridge Area (Milford VNA), a department of Milford Regional Medical Center, gave high marks to the care they received from the agency. Ninety-seven percent of those responding to a recent satisfaction survey conducted by Fazzi Associates said that they were either very satisfied or completely satisfied with their care experience. In addition, 98 percent said that they would be either completely likely or very likely to recommend the Milford VNA to others. And if they needed home healthcare again, 98 percent of the patients responded that they were completely or very likely to choose the Milford VNA again.

The data in the Milford VNA survey was compared against the scores from other home healthcare agencies in New England. The results of the comparison showed that the Milford VNA scores, which represented two percent of the total number of scores collected throughout New England, easily exceeded the survey scores of the other agencies. Responders to the Milford VNA survey also wrote complimentary comments about the agency, including, “I felt that I was the only patient.”

The Milford VNA provides home healthcare services throughout the greater Milford, Franklin and Blackstone Valley region. Services include medical and surgical nursing care, rehabilitative services, mental health nursing, social services and maternal/child care. In addition, Certified Home Health Aides are on staff to assist patients with bathing, dressing and their home exercise program. During the last year, over 2900 patients were seen in their homes by the Milford VNA.