The Visiting Nurse Association of Chittenden and Grand Isle Counties (VNA) has announced the appointment of Tara Graham as Executive Director of Hospice and Palliative Care for Vermont’s oldest and largest home health and hospice agency.
Graham has worked closely with the VNA in leadership positions she held as Executive Director of Benchmark Senior Living (The Arbors at Shelburne) and, most recently, LCB Senior Living (The Residence at Quarry Hill). While at the Arbors, Graham became acquainted with the VNA Hospice program and worked closely with VNA staff who provided end-of-life care to residents.
“I’m very excited to lead VNA’s End-of-Life Care Programs. It’s truly an honor to help people make informed decisions about their lives and ensure they receive the very highest quality of care. I’m most interested in honoring an individual’s wishes with mindfulness of those who love them,” Graham said.
Graham has been recognized nationally as an Assisted Living Federation of America Champion for Seniors and as The Executive Director, Rookie of the Year for Benchmark Senior Living. She served The Vermont Alzheimer’s Chapter as a national advocate and an ambassador to Senator Bernie Sanders’ office. She is dually licensed as a clinical social worker (MSW, UVM 2001) and a nursing home administrator.
Prior to her career in Senior Living, Graham served Vermont children and families as a social worker, most notably developing the Kids-A-Part Program at Vermont Children’s Aid Society, which was nationally recognized as an innovative program for children impacted by a parents’ incarceration.
As VNA’s Executive Director of Hospice and Palliative Care, Graham will inspire others in providing exceptional care to VNA clients and their families by leading and managing VNA Hospice, Palliative Care, and Vermont Respite House.
The VNA serves over 5,000 individuals from our community each year and provides Medicare certified Hospice services to 500 people residing in homes, community care homes, assisted living facilities, skilled nursing facilities, and at Vermont Respite House, the state’s only Medicare-certified hospice home.
“The VNA is thrilled to welcome Tara to our strategic leadership team. Tara’s combination of experiences and strengths in operations, planning, management and marketing will make her an asset to the VNA’s Hospice program at a time of exciting changes, including the opening of the new, expanded Respite House this year,” said VNA President Judy Peterson.
Graham’s arrival coincides with exciting changes in the landscape of end-of-life care, of which the VNA has taken a leading role. This fall, the VNA began construction on a new 21-room Respite House in Colchester which will replace its 13-room Vermont Respite House currently located in Williston. Vermont Respite House is the only Medicare-certified hospice home in the state. The expanded Respite House will allow the VNA to meet a growing need for residential hospice care, serving people whose illness and healthcare needs make it too difficult to remain in their homes or other settings.
In November, the VNA announced findings from the Vermont Hospice Study, a statewide study commissioned by the VNA’s Madison-Deane Initiative that explored barriers to hospice specific to Vermont and identified opportunities for ensuring Vermonters experience quality end-of-life care. Efforts are now underway to address gaps identified in education for health care professionals and the community, as well as growing support and participation in advance care planning initiatives.
Graham said she has always been drawn to Hospice, Palliative Care and ethical decisions toward the end of life and that a common thread throughout her clinical work has been approaching life and transitions through a lens of grief, loss and healing.
“Coming to the VNA I find myself surrounded by kindred spirits and people already doing wonderful, meaningful, informed work. I hope to build on this to make our programs the very best they can be,” Graham said.
The VNA is a 110-year-old non-profit home health and hospice agency caring for people of all ages – from critically ill children to vulnerable families to adults who need rehabilitation, care for chronic illness, adult day services or end-of-life care. The VNA provides medically-necessary home and community-based care to individuals and families regardless of their ability to pay, serving over 5,000 individuals and families in Chittenden and Grand Isle Counties each year. The VNA is proud to be a funded agency of the United Way of Chittenden County.