by Jill Mazza OlsonExecutive Director, VNAs of Vermont It used to be that towns employed town nurses to provide care for residents.Town nurses met the varied needs of the broad range of people in their careby being autonomous and flexible, creating deep relationships with theirpatients and making home visits when necessary.
Over the years and with support from the cities and towns we serve, VisitingNurses Associations (VNAs) took on the role and today, VNAs care forchildren, adults, seniors, and families, helping keep people where they mostwant to be—at home,regardless of their ability to pay. While care needshave changed and VNAs now provide sophisticated and innovative care, nursesand other home health care professionals still rely on the autonomy andflexibility that made the town nurses so strong, and they still create strongbonds with the people they serve.
Each year on Town Meeting Day, voters across Vermont allocate funding to helpensure that everyone has access to the home health and hospice care theyneed. These allocations and the generous donations of individuals in eachcommunity are critical to making home health care possible. Help make sureeveryone has access to the dedicated and highly skilled expert staff of
nurses, therapists, social workers, licensed nursing assistants, careattendants and hospice volunteers of Vermont's VNAs.Vote on Town MeetingDay.
If you will be out of town, or are unable to go to the polls, you can requestan"early voting ballot" from your town or city clerk. Register to vote andrequest your ballot before the end of the week to make sure your votecounts!For more information from the Secretary of State, visitwww.sec.state.vt.us/elections/voters/absentee-voting.aspx.