Visiting nurse associations in Lakes Region, Newfound area merge

MEREDITH — Upon the completion of a successful public hearing regarding the merger of the the Lakes Region Visiting Nurse Association and the Newfound Area Nursing Association, the entities are officially merged and are providing quality in-home care and hospice services to the Lakes Region. Both entities' boards of directors are convinced the merger will better serve the needs of the Central and Lakes Regions and Greater Bristol.

“The positive effects of the merger are already being experienced,” said LRVNA Chief Executive Officer Kevin Kelly, “NANA has already tripled its patient census in previously underserved areas in the region. NANA will continue to provide the ‘patient-first’ practices that has propelled the LRVNA to grow by 500 percent over the last few years. Combined, the go-forward LRVNA/NANA entity will have added over 80 employees in the past three years alone.”

Together, the agencies' services include skilled nursing; hospice; home health aide and homemaker services; physical therapy; speech and occupational therapy; medical social workers; well child programs; blood pressure, foot care, and immunization clinics; and community support services.

Established in 1960, the Newfound Area Nursing Association initially provided home skilled nursing services in Bristol, Bridgewater, and New Hampton, adding the town of Alexandria to its service area in 1969. Since then, NANA has added Danbury, Groton, Hebron, Plymouth, Campton and Hill.

Initially incorporated in 1923 as the Meredith Public Health Association, Lakes Region VNA, a not-for-profit licensed and certified home health and hospice care provider, has grown since then to serve 35 communities with over 45,000 visits in the Lakes Region and Central New Hampshire.