1946
Mission
Humble Beginnings
In Home Skilled Nursing
In 1946, a small group of engaged community members gathered to create an organization that would provide skilled nursing in the home with a mission to promote health and independence. From these humble beginnings to the strong, vibrant agency of today, the Visiting Nurse Association & Hospice of the Southwest Region continues to remain focused on our mission of providing compassionate, nationally recognized home health care, hospice care, and community wellness to thousands of individuals throughout Rutland and Bennington Counties in Southwestern Vermont.
The Next Few Decades
Explosive Growth of in-home Care
The high quality of nursing, the aging of the population, advances in-home care technology, and the growing costs of hospital care led to explosive growth in-home care over the next few decades, including expanding our service area in Rutland County and establishing services 24-hours, 7-days a week.
1990s
1990s
Pediatric Rehabilitation Serves
Joint venture with Rutland Regional Medical Center
Significant developments of the 1990s included the creation of a joint venture with Rutland Regional Medical Center to continue the provision of essential pediatric rehabilitation services. The program, Kids on the Move would eventually become a program solely of VNAHSR.
1996
Expanded Services
Fully integrated clinical and volunteer hospice services
In 1996, a merger with the volunteer organization, Rutland Area Hospice, expanded services to provide fully integrated clinical and volunteer hospice services.
2000s
2007
Expanded to serve the people of Dorset, Rupert, and Pawlet
In 2007, the agency expanded to serve the people of Dorset, Rupert, and Pawlet through the acquisition of the Dorset Nursing Association.
2014
Expanded to Bennington County
In 2014, the VNA expanded their service area to include Bennington County with a merger with the VNA & Hospice of Southwestern Vermont. In 2014, in an effort to make the organization’s identity clear in both Bennington and Rutland County, the agency’s trustees formed the umbrella organization of the VNA & Hospice of the Southwest Region (VNAHSR).
2016
The VNAHSR Family Grows
In 2016, Manchester Health Services joined the VNAHSR family. In 2017, as part of a strengthening and unification effort, the organization began using the name VNA & Hospice of the Southwest Region. The agency maintains office locations in Bennington, Dorset, Manchester and Rutland.
2024
Expanded to provide services to residents of Franklin County
In 2024, VNAHSR became the designated Home Health and Hospice agency in Franklin County, and began providing quality home healthcare services in northern Vermont.
Today
We are a non-profit, Medicare-certified home health and hospice agency delivering a wide-range of advanced medical care with compassion, dependability, and expertise to people of all ages.
Serving Bennington, Franklin, and Rutland Counties in Vermont, our staff of trusted health professionals and caregivers are committed to providing exceptional care to patients and families.
Proud of our national reputation for quality care, VNAHSR is highly rated for Quality of Patient Care and Patient Satisfaction from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and is recognized as one of the nation’s top performing home health agencies by HomeCare Elite, a marketing-leading review that identifies top Medicare-certified agencies.
