News

  Considering home health care for yourself or a loved one can be a big decision. You want the best possible care, but navigating eligibility requirements can feel overwhelming. This blog post will answer the question: who qualifies for home health care services in Colorado, specifically focusing on the criteria and resources available in our […]

Often, when we think of the grieving process and how to make sense of it, we think about the five stages of grief. However, another way to help others process grief, especially children, is to consider age.   Babies, toddlers, and preschoolers often struggle to understand what death is. During their grieving period, they may regress. […]

In April, President Biden signed two executive orders that directed federal agencies to take actions to “provide more peace of mind for families and dignity for care workers who deserve jobs with good pay and good benefits.” Here are some the highlights; however, there are more than 50 actions listed in the orders: The U.S. […]

Yom Kippur is the day of atonement, and the most important holiday in the Jewish faith. According to tradition, it is on Yom Kippur that God decides each person’s fate, so Jews are encouraged to make amends and ask forgiveness for sins committed during the past year.  During this time, observers fast for 25 hours […]

When visiting your patients that celebrate Rosh HaShanah, the Jewish New Year, you may not come across an overly festive environment. That’s because it is one of Judaism’s holiest days. This two-day observance begins on September 15 and is an occasion to reflect and repent in anticipation of the coming year. Rosh HaShanah is a […]

Parents are the guiding light in our lives, offering unconditional love and support. On July 23, we have the opportunity to celebrate their remarkable presence on Parents Day. While appreciating their role, it is crucial to acknowledge the significance of advanced directives for end-of-life decisions. Let us explore how honoring our parents can be intertwined […]

We are excited to share the recent appointment of Dr. Robert Howe, D.O., as the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) for all hospice, palliative care, and home health affiliates across the Care Synergy network. This development marks a significant step forward for the organization, as Dr. Howe takes on a leadership position to enhance collaboration, promote […]

Hospice and palliative care play a vital role in providing comfort, support, and dignity to patients and their families during challenging times. Within this compassionate field, Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) serve as invaluable members of the healthcare team. They provide essential support, enabling patients to receive the highest quality of care while enhancing their overall […]

Priscilla, 83, has not always felt safe walking down her front steps to greet her neighbors. “Now, she feels much safer going down the front stairs to take a walk,” says her daughter Latanya. “Mom loves greeting the neighbors. She is always waving and asking the neighbors about their children and husbands.” Thanks to CVNA’s […]

The Care Synergy network of home healthcare, hospice and palliative care providers along the Front Range of Colorado is launching a Nursing Assistant Training Program. The Program will begin on May 8, 2023, and will offer two-week training programs for those seeking certification as a Certified Nurse Aide (CNA). Training classes will be held in […]

Hospice care began as a community-based service, largely provided by volunteers, aiming to transform end-of-life care to holistically meet the needs, preferences, and goals of dying people and their families. Since the inception of the Medicare Hospice Benefit, “any willing provider” has been permitted to participate, regardless of profit status. This has been vigorously debated […]

Empathy is a platform helping families navigate the journey they face after the loss of a loved one. Recently, Empathy released its annual report, The Cost of Dying which reveals new insights into the costs of a death in the family in the United States today, with a special focus on its impact on employees’ […]

Beginning in February, there is an undeniable rush of activity as we get ready for Valentine’s Day in many facets of our life, whether at home, at work, or in school. Purchasing a Valentine’s card or gift for a loved one receiving hospice or palliative care this month may be a nice gesture, but there […]

The Canadian province of Nova Scotia will soon be partnering with the CAPABLE National Center to implement the Community Aging in Place, Advancing Better Living for Elders (CAPABLE) program, a program developed by Johns Hopkins School of Nursing (JHSON).   CAPABLE partners a nurse, occupational therapist and handyperson to help older people live more independently, such […]

Americans across the country celebrate Veterans Day on November 11.  This is a special day to salute the people who have bravely served our country in the military. Veterans have made profound sacrifices in defense of freedom, and they deserve our heartfelt thanks and appreciation. Honoring our Veterans includes supporting them throughout their entire lives, […]

Throughout the month of November, Colorado Visiting Nurse Association will be joining organizations across the nation in celebrating National Hospice and Palliative Care Month. For more than 40 years, hospice has helped provide interdisciplinary, supportive care to millions of people, allowing them to spend their final months wherever they call home and surrounded by their […]

Save the Date! Colorado Visiting Nurse Association is excited to announce Colorado Gives Day is set for Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022. For 24 hours, Colorado comes together to raise fund raise funds for local nonprofits, and we’re excited to be part of the day! On Colorado Gives Day, we invite you to join us by […]

Colorado VNA recently received a grant totaling $2,300,000 from the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (Department) to support and expand its CAPABLE program and provide care for more Health First Colorado members. CAPABLE, which stands for Community Aging in Place – Advancing Better Living for Elders, was developed by the Johns Hopkins […]

The new Hospice & Palliative Care License Plate debuts on July 1, 2022. Colorado drivers will now have another license plate option.  During the most recent legislative session that ended in early May, the state legislator passed a law creating a new hospice and palliative care license plate intended to raise awareness of this important health […]

Colorado Visiting Nurse Association Honors its Volunteers during National Volunteer Week, April 17 – 23 National Volunteer Week provides the opportunity to recognize the millions of Americans who provide volunteer service in communities across the country. At CVNA more than 52 trained volunteers give selflessly to help people with a serious or life-limiting illness and [...]

Advance care planning addresses the health care you would want to receive in a medical crisis – based on your values, preferences, and conversations with your loved ones. While there’s much we can’t control, we can make informed decisions to give the people closest to us the power to confidently make health care decisions for [...]

Expansion will allow Colorado VNA to serve Colorado Springs and El Paso County Areas The Colorado Visiting Nurse Association is excited to announce, as of February 7, that an agreement was reached with 24/7 AvaRe Home Health to welcome their healthcare staff and patients into Colorado VNA. The addition of the former 24/7 AvaRe Home [...]

Updated Mission Statement and Logo The Colorado Visiting Nurse Association (Colorado VNA), a member of the Care Synergy network, recently updated its mission to emphasize the breadth and depth of their services and commitment to the community by completing the inclusion of Halcyon Hospice under its organizational umbrella and updating it mission, vision and logo. [...]

Natural disasters, like the wildfires that we recently experienced here in Colorado, can impact us in ways that we can’t imagine. Losses of this scope strike at the heart of our vulnerabilities as humans at the mercy of nature. Whether the tragedy impacted our homes and family directly or we were witness to the horror [...]

Julie Nunley Colorado Visiting Nurse Association is pleased to announce that Julie Nunley joined the organization as president Sept. 7. “We are excited to have Julie join Colorado VNA,” said Tim Bowen, president and CEO of the Care Synergy Network, a collaborative of not-for-profit home health, hospice and palliative care providers across Colorado. “Her years [...]

Colorado Visiting Nurse Association has cared for our patients in their homes for over 100 years, and that model of care is gaining renewed attention from hospitals and physicians nationwide. National Public Radio recently explored why this option is a good bet for patients with serious or long-term conditions.  As more health systems look to [...]

Falls are the leading cause of hospitalization and disability for older adults, but many falls are preventable. A new study in the JAMA Internal Medicine estimates there are 12 million older Americans who would benefit from simple, inexpensive upgrades in their homes to help them safely bathe and use the toilet, and over five million [...]

Halcyon at Colorado VNA Medical Director Luis Felipe (Phil) Ramos, MD, earned his board certification in hospice and palliative care. We’re excited to announce that Halcyon at Colorado VNA Medical Director Luis Felipe (Phil) Ramos, MD, is officially board-certified in hospice and palliative medicine. Being board-certified signifies that Dr. Ramos has undertaken extra education to [...]

Arvada, Colo. – The Halcyon Corporation is choosing to discontinue operations on Aug. 5, 2020. Most Halcyon staff will join the Colorado Visiting Nurse Association (VNA). The expanded Colorado VNA will remain a mission-driven nonprofit, serving much of Colorado’s Front Range, from Douglas County to Larimer and Weld counties and including the Denver metro area. […]

This June, we were awarded a 2020-2021 Strategic Investment grant from Mile High United Way. We are thrilled to be partnering with them to support the care of our community! You may not first think of home health care as advancing economic opportunity, but our work has a big impact on populations that don’t easily […]

The Colorado Visiting Nurse Association just received an amazing grant from the NextFifty Initiative to support our CAPABLE program. The nearly $48,000 grant will support our work under the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) funding. Specifically, it will help with program management, and the matching funds we must provide as part of our DRCOG […]

Things are changing in Colorado and I don’t just mean the seasons, Colorado’s population is changing. Colorado is growing older and with an older population brings the need for more healthcare services and supports. Additionally, an aging population that is growing brings more strain on the Colorado economy. This blog post will describe the changes […]

Colorado Visiting Nurse Association is beginning an exciting new phase of our 130-year history.  Effective Nov. 1, 2019, Colorado VNA will affiliate with Care Synergy, a fellow Colorado nonprofit organization.  This is an exciting development for Colorado VNA, one that benefits our employees and strengthens the foundation of our organization.  Affiliating with Care Synergy allows […]

In October 2017, Colorado Visiting Nurse Association’s (VNA) partnered with innovative telehealth company, Health Recovery Solutions (HRS), to launch a pilot intervention program for adults living with heart failure. Individuals with heart disease have a national average 30-day readmission rate of 24%.[1] Colorado VNA is hoping to significantly reduce this rate for their home health […]

At the behest of House Bill 15-1033, which passed in 2015, a “multidisciplinary private and public sector stakeholders’’ group to develop a comprehensive strategic action plan on aging through the year 2030” was convened. In short, the Strategic Action Planning Group on Aging (SAPGA) was created to figure out how to respond to the challenge […]

The 2016 CVNA Annual Report is out and it includes an Infographic detailing the services CVNA provided. In reviewing the report, I am delighted and awed – and hope you are, too – by all that our dedicated and compassionate employees have accomplished, as well as all the changes the organization has weathered. In May […]

It’s time to think differently about aging. As Colorado VNA’s CEO, I think about aging and the perception of aging a lot given that over 75% of patients we serve are 65 and older. In fact, in partnership with our Board of Directors, our organization has begun to update its strategic plan beginning with our […]

Home health is one of the most beleaguered medical services used and supported by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS). Every year there are increasing regulations and seemingly decreasing reimbursement. Because of these pressures, agencies must look for ways to cut costs while also increasing capabilities. Health systems and hospitals have a motivation to decrease […]

Over the last two decades, we’ve come to understand that oral health means much more than healthy teeth. As the American Dental Association states “Your mouth is a window into the health of your body” and regular visits to a dentist allow for a view into general health and wellness. Similarly, foot care is about […]

As I described in this post there is massive growth in the elderly population in Colorado with projections of more than 1.4 million people over the age of 65 in Colorado by 2030. This surge is taxing our health care system and there is no one solution to this challenge. In fact, clinicians, community health workers, […]

The population in Colorado is aging quickly, more quickly than most other states. Related to our aging population, is the rising cost in healthcare, much of it fueled by chronic disease management which affects about 80% of older adults in our country. And yet, despite the additional medical oversight required when living with chronic disease, the […]

Colorado VNA (CVNA) in Northern Colorado has been providing Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) services for over thirty years. Like many organizations that care for HCBS patients, our organization is struggling to care for these patients because the reimbursement is too low, well below our costs. In recent years, with the increase in home […]

 Chris Lee, CVNA’s President & CEO appeared on No CoPay Radio Sunday June 11th to discuss aging independence, Long Term Services and Supports (LTSS) and collaborative healthcare partnerships. No CoPay Radio is a podcast hosted by Dr. John of 9news and Murphy Huston of KOSI and sponsored by DRCOG, Denver’s Area Agency on Aging. Chris was […]

Dr. David Schrier–Hospice Medical Director, Colorado Visiting Nurse Association The National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) has designated November as Home Care& Hospice Month – a time to honor millions of nurses, home care aides, therapists, and social workers who make a remarkable difference for the patients and families they serve. These heroic […]

Are you on pace to reach your goals in a few more weeks? Excitement and energy may wane after starting a new program; stay motivated with these tips:

Get Off to a Great Start with Ola Ala With the launching of Ola Ala July 19th, employees all over Colorado Visiting Nurse Association are on their way to better well-being. (If you haven’t registered yet contact Aubri at TharpA@VNAColorado.org.)

[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=” av_uid=’av-37peqo’] At Colorado Visiting Nurse Association (VNA) we know that inviting someone into your home to care for you or your loved one is an incredibly important and personal choice. Having the right person can make the experience more pleasant, ensure the appropriate services and in many cases even reduce the […]

Colorado Visiting Nurse Association remembers and honors the many military personnel who gave their lives in service to our country. We are a leading medical partner of the local VA to promote the health and wellness of all veterans. We are also a proud member of We Honor Veterans, a program of the National Hospice and […]

Colorado Visiting Nurse Association (Colorado VNA) and Northern Colorado’s Rehabilitation & Visiting Nurse Association (RVNA) have officially merged their operations effective May 1st after a year of board discussions and a final vote of approval back in February.

Colorado VNA’s Speakers Series is designed to offer information and education to help a variety of individuals including seniors, caregivers, and health and wellness professionals navigate the changing landscape of healthcare and foster older adult independence. Admission to all events is free, but space is limited so please RSVP by visiting , emailing hurdl@vnacolorado.org, or […]

               Contact:  Kim Howard                              (303) 698-6517      howardk@vnacolorado.org   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   Colorado VNA and RVNA Merge Operations, Expand Services

By Chris Lee, President and CEO The State of Colorado is grappling with one of the fastest growing older adult populations in the country. The Colorado State Demography Office estimates [that the] “aging of the younger population, especially the ’Baby Boomers’ …, is forecast to increase the population over 65 by 150% between 2010 and […]

Holiday Depression: How to Recognize It and Take Action

It’s time to change what we call ourselves…move from thinking of the Colorado Visiting Nurse Association (VNA) as a “non-profit home health care agency” to a “non-profit organization that provides home-based services”. This may seem like a small distinction, but it there are three reasons we should make this change: 1) “Home health care” agencies […]

In February 2015, Governor John Hickenlooper launched the “Take Meds Seriously” public awareness campaign. “Take Meds Seriously” is a new statewide campaign advocating for the safe use, storage and disposal of prescription drugs in Colorado. Behind this vital campaign is a group called The Colorado Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention. The Consortium consists of […]

August is National Immunization Awareness Month. In the United States, vaccines have greatly reduced infectious diseases that once routinely killed or harmed many infants, children, and adults. However, the viruses and bacteria that cause vaccine-preventable disease still exist and can be passed on to people who are not protected by vaccines. Every year, thousands of […]

Today is World Hepatitis Day.  This global health awareness event is held annually on July 28th, the birthday of Dr. Baruch Blumberg (1925-2011). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website, Dr. Blumberg discovered the hepatitis B virus in 1967 and two years later developed the first hepatitis B vaccine and for these […]

Colorado Visiting Nurse Association (VNA) announced today that it received a 4-star rating from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Home Health Compare’s debut star rating program. Colorado VNA is one of only two Denver-based agencies to achieve a 4-star rating or higher (and only 21% of agencies statewide scored 4 or higher). The […]

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 be tested for HIV at least once as part of their routine health care. Tomorrow is national HIV and AIDS Testing Day to build awareness about the importance of being assessed.

Each year in the days leading up to Father’s Day, we celebrate Men’s Health as a country. June is national Men’s Health Month. The goal of Men’s Health Month is to raise awareness on how to prevent health problems among men. It is the perfect time to encourage senior men to obtain regular medical checkups, […]

My first day at Colorado Visiting Nurse Association By Christopher Lee, President & CEO And so begins an exciting new phase in my career…my new role as President and CEO for Colorado VNA. I have been blessed with many exciting opportunities in my career and this one ranks as the most exciting. I am just […]

Colorado Visiting Nurse Association Hires CEO DENVER, CO (May 11, 2015) – Colorado Visiting Nurse Association (Colorado VNA), a nonprofit home health care agency, is delighted to announce that its Board of Directors has appointed Christopher Lee as President and Chief Executive Officer. Former President and CEO Laura Reilly retired this past February. “Chris is a natural choice […]

National Senior Health and Fitness Day 2015 “If You Keep Moving…You’ll Keep Improving!” More than 100,000 older adults will participate in activities at more than 1,000 locations throughout the U.S. on Wednesday, May 27, 2015 as we celebrate the 22nd annual National Senior Health & Fitness Day. The common goal for this day: to help […]

Parker Senior Stroll May 27, 2015, 10 a.m., O’Brien Park Among fun local activities open to the public around town tomorrow at 10 a.m. is the annual Senior Stroll in Parker. Put on your walking shoes and join Parker Recreation for the wonderful Senior Stroll at O’Brien Park, 10795 Victorian Dr. http://www.ourparkercolorado.com/senior-stroll-in-parker-colorado/