From our family to yours, we wish you a happy Holiday season and a healthy and safe New Year!
Please support our Everyday Heroes
The Everyday Heroes at Waveny LifeCare Network continue to be at the center of the ongoing pandemic, working every day to serve our community.

These heroes are caregivers, who every day step up and prioritize care for those beyond themselves. They are also community members, donors and volunteers, who selflessly think beyond their own needs to serve others.

We hope you join us in honoring these Heroes by making a tax deductible gift to the Everyday Heroes Annual Fund Drive. Please click here to learn more and make a contribution today.
COVID-19 positivity rates may be volatile but nurses from Visiting Nurse & Hospice are continuing COVID-19 testing for the town of New Canaan. Since August 1st, we have performed over 1,100 tests for New Canaan residents and town employees. With the recent surge, we will continue to serve our community with ongoing testing.

As flu season ramps up, VNHFC has been active in helping prevent the spread of the virus by administering over 300 vaccines at our fall Flu Clinics. Caring for our community, now and in the future, remains our top priority.
Waveny Partners with Rotary Club of Wilton to Feed Seniors
As a non-profit organization, our Waveny LifeCare Network staff engage with like-minded partners to strengthen the foundation of the communities we serve throughout lower Fairfield County. Recently, Christene Freedman, Chief Advancement Officer; Nancy Mandia, Development Coordinator; and Rachel Takacs, Director of Sales and Resident Relations, volunteered their time to support the Rotary Club of Wilton in distributing over 200 lunches to Wilton Seniors. 

In partnership with the Wilton Department of Senior Services, the food distribution event supported our most vulnerable community members so they can continue to have reliable access to healthy food during the health crisis and cold weather. Village Market provided the delicious lunch that included a chicken pot pie, salad and a cookie.  Our Waveny staff, alongside Rotary volunteers, packed up the lunches and distributed them in a Ready Drive-Thru Lunch event held at the Wilton Senior Center. Lunches were free thanks to the generosity of the Rotary. Waveny is honored to partner with the Rotary Club of Wilton and the Wilton Senior Center in providing and supporting our seniors.  
Thrift Shop Pop-Up at St. Luke's Holiday Fair
As our Waveny volunteer program has expanded to include opportunities at the New Canaan Thrift Shop, we have been excited to explore new community service ideas with students and staff at St. Luke’s School. We were invited to participate in the Annual Holiday Fair at St. Luke’s with a Pop-Up Shop of items that students selected from the New Canaan Thrift Shop. This initiative was a great way for us to continue to work together to serve our community, raise funds to support the Visiting Nurse & Hospice Patient Care Fund and involve young people in our mission. The Pop-Up Shop was a great success and we nearly sold out of items! 

Our connection with St. Luke’s School continues to grow and evolve. Past projects include working on Resident Bio projects with our residents, group presentations such as 8th grade declamations and keeping in touch by letter and email throughout the pandemic. We look forward to fostering this wonderful relationship with students and staff!
Save the Date
Each year, Visiting Nurse & Hospice of Fairfield County and Waveny LifeCare Network honor the patients and families we have served with an interfaith Celebration of Life memorial service.

The Celebration of Life includes poetry, readings, acts of remembrance and music as well as a candle-lighting ceremony conducted by our team of nurses, therapists, counselors and caregivers. We hope you will join our Celebration of Life in May 2022.
Please click on the links below for more information and to register for our upcoming presentations and support groups. For Zoom events, you will receive a link via email upon registration.

All events are free of charge and open to the public and we hope you will join us!
Loss of Spouse - for those grieving the loss of a spouse
Mondays, December 6 – January 10, 3:30-5pm in person with Marybeth Payne, M Div.
Tuesdays, January 4 – February 8, 1-2:30 pm in person with Laurie Petrasanta, MA
Wednesdays, January 19 – February 23, 3-4:30 pm via zoom with Stephanie Shaughnessy, MSW
Thursdays, January 27 – March 3, 7-8:30 pm via zoom with Maribeth Payne, M Div.
Tuesdays, February 1 – March 8, 7-8:30 pm via zoom with Sheila Russo, LCSW

Loss of a Parent - for those grieving the loss of a parent
Tuesdays, January 4 – February 8, 11:00am–12:30pm in person with Laurie Petrasanta, MA
Tuesdays, January 18 – February 22, 3:00–4:30pm via zoom with Stephanie Shaughnessy, MSW
Wednesday, January 19 – February 23, 7-8:30pm via zoom with Meghan Cioffi, MSW

Loss of a Loved One - for those grieving the loss of a loved one
Wednesdays, January 12 – February 16, 2:00 -3:30pm via zoom and in person with Rabbi Daniel Sklar

Wednesdays, December 8 – January 12, 7:30-8:30 in person with Betsy Perry, RN
Wednesdays, January 26 – March 2, 7:15 – 8:45 pm with Betsy Perry, RN

Tuesdays, December 7 – December 21 – 7-8:30pm via zoom with Sheila Russo, LCSW
Would you like to become part of our volunteer team?

You can enrich the lives of our seniors throughout the Waveny-VNH continuum of healthcare services and residences!

As a Waveny-VNH volunteer you will become part of a vibrant and caring team, welcomed and deeply appreciated by residents, patients, staff and fellow volunteers. We have opportunities for all ages and abilities with a flexible schedule.  Choose from a range of volunteer activities which will allow you to make the maximum impact with the time you would like to share. 

If you are interested in getting involved, please contact Stella Clarke, Executive Director of Community Engagement and Volunteering at sclarke@waveny.org or 203-594-5334.