Caledonia Home Health Care & Hospice

Bingo Fundraiser Supports Hospice Program – August 2023

September 12, 2023 by Scott Tetreault

Thanks to community support and many happy Bingo players, this year’s Bingo fundraiser event held at the Caledonia County Fair successfully raised funds to support the Hospice Program at Caledonia Home Health Care & Hospice.

Fair goers who stopped to play at the Bingo tent had the chance to win cash and other prizes, including smart tvs, and donations from local businesses.

Thank you to Passumpsic Savings Bank, Community National Bank, Weidmann Electrical Technology, Inc, and Union Bank, VT & NH for their generous sponsorship of the event. They helped make it possible for all funds raised during Bingo to go directly towards the Hospice program. Additional sponsors include Maple Center Motors, Bean’s Mobile Homes, Graves Builders, Marty’s 1st Stop, Ruggco, Inc, Sanderson Wooden Bowls, Nick’s Gas N Go, NSN Northeast Sports Network, Stone Crest Properties, The Carpet Connection, Ville Auto Supply, NVRH and St. Johnsbury Elks Lodge # 1343.

It is through the generosity of our sponsors and community which support ours work to provide comfort, choice, hope, and connection to our hospice patients and their loved ones. This support makes it possible for our caring and compassionate providers to help families focus on what truly matters – their loved one’s needs and wishes.

Visit our Donation page to learn more about supporting the annual fund at Caledonia Home Health Care & Hospice by visiting https://www.nchcvt.org/support/donate-today/.

Bingo Fundraiser Supports Hospice Program

October 20, 2022 by Brynn Evans

Fair goers who stopped to play at the Bingo tent had the chance to win cash and other prizes, including smart tvs, and donations from local businesses.

Thank you to All Around Power, Burke View Garage, Graves Builders, Passumpsic Savings Bank, and Union Bank for their generous sponsorship of the event. They helped make it possible for all funds raised during Bingo to go directly towards the Hospice program.

Funds raised through the Bingo fundraiser, annual poinsettia sales, and donations are used to provide comfort, choice, hope, and connection to our hospice patients and their loved ones. This support makes it possible for our caring and compassionate providers to help families focus on what truly matters – their loved one’s needs and wishes.

Visit our Donation page to learn more about supporting the annual fund at Caledonia Home Health Care & Hospice.

Caledonia Home Health Care & Hospice Nurses Earn Wound Care Certification

August 19, 2022 by Brynn Evans

Northern Counties Health Care congratulates Jamie Berube, RN WCC, Hayley Lowell, RN WCC, and Kristin Freeto, RN WCC with Caledonia Home Health Care & Hospice for their work in becoming Wound Care Certified by the National Alliance of Wound Care and Ostomy. To gain the certification, they attended a week long wound training course followed by successful completion of the certification test. The course and exam were hosted by NVRH. We thank Jamie, Hayley, and Kristin for their dedication to providing excellent care and for continued growth in their field.

Caledonia Home Health Care & Hospice Hosts J-Term Interns

February 2, 2022 by Brynn Evans

Christina Olcott – RN, Jailyn Crepeault – student, Morgan Chase – Student, and Hayley Lowell – RN

For three weeks in January, two students joined Caledonia Home Health Care & Hospice (CHHC) as interns through Lyndon Institute’s January Term program. By shadowing nursing staff, Freshman Morgan Chase and Senior Jailyn Crepeault explored their interest in nursing, and learned what it means to be a home health nurse.

Jailyn Crepeault worked with Christina Olcott, RN in the Maternal Child Health Program. Maternal Child Health nurses provide support, education, and assessment to pregnant women, new mothers, and babies.

Morgan Chase observed home care and hospice visits with Hayley Lowell, RN. Home care visits help people remain safe at home, and as independent and active as possible. The hospice team provides physical, emotional, spiritual, and psychosocial support to patients with life-limiting or terminal illnesses.

“My J-Term experience with Hayley has helped me to know that I want to be a nurse,” stated Morgan. “I think being a nurse in home health is different than in other places, as I feel you get to know the patients more. I’ve enjoyed being able to see older people, learn their backstory, and really build a relationship with them.”

Morgan continued, “Working with the hospice patients can be sad, but is also rewarding when we were able to help make them comfortable. Patients loved to see us and sometimes didn’t want us to leave.”

Hosting students like Morgan and Jailyn doesn’t just provide benefits to the students. The nurses also get a lot out of the program.

“Morgan’s excitement, motivation, readiness to learn, and helpfulness was a bright spot of my day, especially during these times,” said Hayley Lowell, RN. “Typically, we are out in the homes alone. Morgan asked really good questions, and brought a different perspective, which helped me to see my work through fresh eyes. I’d love to work with her again in the future.”

Experiential learning opportunities are an important aspect of work-force development in health care.

“Local students are our future,” explained Treny Burgess, Director of CHHC. “Seeing the impact our nurses have on patients, can often be the spark they need to pursue their own nursing career. Through our work with local students, we hope to show them the unique opportunities available through home health care within our own community, and to help show them the path to get here.”

The team at Caledonia Home Health Care & Hospice is proud to work with students, offering opportunities through other area high schools, or clinical programs like Vermont Technical College.

MATERNAL CHILD HEALTH PROGRAM RECEIVES GENEROUS DONATION FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS

December 19, 2020 by Casey Legge

St. Johnsbury, VT (December 18, 2020)– Caledonia Home Health Care & Hospice, a division of Northern Counties Health Care (NCHC), is pleased to announce a recent donation of 105 Scentsy Buddies, or stuffed animals, to the Maternal Child Health Department. The donation was organized by local community member Jean Guest, Independent Scentsy Family Consultant. Guest has been collecting donations for the Maternal Child Health Department since October through her Annual Buddy Drive.

“The donation of 105 Buddies is enough so that every patient on our service will receive one this holiday season. At a time when money is tight for so many, the generosity of the community members and businesses who donated is sincerely appreciated,” said Magdalene Miller, Maternal Child Health Program Manager. “We are also very grateful for Jean Guest and her support of all children in the Northeast Kingdom,” Miller continued.

Donors for the 2020 Buddy Drive are: Lyndon Furniture, Passumpsic Savings Bank, The Carpet Connection, Community National Bank, The Pizza Man, Bagel Depot, Stonecrest Properties, Lyndonville Agway, Palmer Bros. Dry Cleaning, Parkway Realty Associates, Ville Auto, Lyndonville Redemption, Brett Gale State Farm Insurance, Modern Furniture, Northern Physical Therapy, Bob & Jean Guest, Matt & Jess Gilman, Nate & Amanda Killam, Danny & Karen Jarels, Meg Deroiser, Meghan Daniell of Perfectly Posh, Lois Goff, Jacqueline Colby, Eleanor Hisey, Samantha Roberts, Cathy Maio Aldrich, Lori Smith, Ronnie Sensinger, Debbie Russell, Kari Hickey, Kelly Caterino, Amy Merrow, Michele Smedy, and Chris Gallmeyer.

Guest shared, “The Buddy Drive is one of my favorite holiday traditions, and I feel very blessed to live in a community that supports efforts to come alongside our area children.” The Maternal Child Health Department’s visiting nurses have already begun delivery of the Buddies and will have them all out to families before the end of the holiday season.

The Maternal Child Health Department includes five programs, from preventative support to families through assessment and education, to pediatric high-tech, and palliative care services. These services are offered throughout the Northeast Kingdom. If you or someone you know may benefit from the support of a nurse home visitor in your pregnancy or early parenthood, contact the agency at 802-748-8116.

NCHC encompasses six community health centers, three dental centers, and a certified home health care & hospice division providing a full spectrum of quality, affordable, and compassionate health care services to patients of all ages, throughout the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. For more information, visit www.nchcvt.org. NCHC is supported in part by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number H80CS00632. This information or content and conclusion are those of the author and should not be constructed on the official or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government.

Pictured (L-R):Magdalene Miller, Maternal Child Health Manager; Jessica Shufelt, Nurse Home Visitor, Christina Olcott, Nurse Home Visitor; Jean Guest, Independent Scentsy Family Consultant.

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NCHC’S MATERNAL CHILD HEALTH DEPARTMENT RECEIVES DONATION FROM BUILDING BRIGHT FUTURES

September 18, 2020 by Casey Legge

St. Johnsbury, VT September 18, 2020– Caledonia Home Health Care & Hospice, a division of Northern Counties Health Care (NCHC), is pleased to announce a recent donation of 20 Graco Pack ‘N Playards from Building Bright Futures of Vermont to support the Maternal Child Health Department’s Safe Sleep Program.

The Safe Sleep Program is designed to support new mothers who do not have a safe sleep environment for their infants. The program provides a safe sleeping location as well as additional support via home health visits by a Maternal Child Health Nurse who meets with mother and baby.

“We are so grateful for the donation from Building Bright Futures and ongoing collaboration from the Vermont Department of Health who helped bring this effort into fruition,” said Magdalene Miller, NCHC’s Maternal Child Health Manager. “We appreciate our close network of community partners who consistently endorse our efforts to support new and growing families in the Northeast Kingdom. The nurse home visitors are eager to share this exciting program with families.”

Magdalene Miller noted that the donation from Building Bright Futures of Vermont will allow the Safe Sleep Program to continue for another year.

“Building Bright Futures is pleased to be part of the community effort to support our public health partners in delivering this important service to families in our region,” said Linda Michiewicz, Building Bright Futures Regional Coordinator for Caledonia, Orleans and Essex counties.

“Supporting safe sleep is a family and community effort. It is one of the earliest and most important steps we can take towards advancing Public Health,” added James Biernat, RN, MSN, Maternal Child Health Coordinator at Vermont Department of Health’s Newport Office.

The Maternal Child Health Department includes five programs, from preventative support to families through assessment and education, to pediatric high-tech, and palliative care services. Preventive services are offered throughout the Northeast Kingdom. If you or someone you know may benefit from the support of a nurse home visitor in your pregnancy or early parenthood, please contact the agency at 802-748-8116.

Northern Counties Health Care encompasses five community health centers, three dental centers, and a certified home health care & hospice division providing a full spectrum of quality, affordable, and compassionate health care services to patients of all ages, throughout the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont.

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