Why Choose the VNA of Boston?

Joe and Lester – Maternal Child Health patients

Joe and his twin brother Lester were born early – at just 32 weeks gestation, to first time parents, Josette and Lesley. Both boys weighed a little over 3 lbs at birth and overcame tremendous odds and complications that arose from their early birth date. They spent one month in the hospital as they struggled to gain strength and grow amidst the challenges of their prematurity. They were finally released from the hospital and into the care of the VNA of Boston when each had gained enough weight and learned to drink from a bottle.

Giving birth prematurely is a traumatic event, often resulting in additional care for the baby and needed support for the family. The VNA of Boston nurses helped Josette and Lesley learn basic newborn care and what the special needs of their sons would be. They learned that stimulations needed to be kept at a minimum and in a busy household filled with extended family; they knew that this would be difficult.

They were also taught that the boys needed to be fed every three hours, which was not a problem as these little guys were often ready to eat before that! One wish that Josette had was to be able to nurse her boys with minimal use of bottles. With the help of the nurses and her husband, this finally became a reality. Four weeks after admission to the VNA of Boston, both boys weighed almost 8lbs and mom was confidently, and constantly, nursing her sons!

Manny - Maternal Child Health patient

Emmanuel, aka “Manny”, was born at only 25 weeks and spent the first four months of his life in the NICU at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. He came home at the end of October and has since been a patient of the VNA of Boston. Initially, the nurses would visit Manny and his mother, Nadine, two times a week, monitoring his weight, his feeding and nutrition, respiratory status and general health. Because his lungs were called into duty before they were ready, Manny continues to have chronic lung disease and needs continuous oxygen.

Over time, Nadine’s confidence grew in her son’s care, knowing how and when to give him his medication, how to make his special formula and feed him on an established schedule. She also came to know him so well, that she could identify when he needed to be seen by one of his specialist before there was a crisis. As the VNAB prepares Manny for discharge from the agency the nurses enjoy watching him almost sit up independently, move around on his mat, babbling and reaching for his favorite toys.

Early intervention helped Manny and his mother tremendously and will continue to teach her exercises and how to play with him so his development continues to move ahead.

Stephen – Physical Therapy patient

For Stephen, a lifetime resident of Boston, living out the rest of his life in the home that he had lived in for over 70 years is his dream. However, his dream seemed far-reaching after a fall late last year that required him to enter a rehabilitation facility. Stephen had suffered a stroke prior to his fall that left him with little use of the left side of his body; this combined with the fall further complicated his desire to remain in his home. It seemed as if Stephen’s dream was just that a dream. However, with the support of the VNA of Boston, Stephen was able to return home. Working with his physical therapist Penelope and his nurse Sarah, Stephen has made slow and steady progress back to good health. This year, Stephen, like many others helped by the VNA of Boston will be able to spend the holidays at home, surrounded by family, friends and those things that are most important to him.