www.montereycountynow.com OCTOBER 15-21, 2026 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 5 831 Paula Petrosky and Brett Veschecco are chatting as they take a walk through Petrosky’s neatly landscaped backyard in Salinas, filled with succulents, cacti and native plants. It looks like a leisurely garden stroll, but there’s a purpose: Veschecco, a physical therapist for Central Coast VNA & Hospice, is walking just behind Petrosky taking mental notes about how well she is walking a few weeks after her hip replacement surgery. Since Veschecco arrived at Petrosky’s home for this, his sixth and final visit before she heads to outpatient rehabilitation the following week, he’s been assessing how well she’s moving about while peppering her with questions. He starts at the kitchen table taking her vital signs. “It’s graduation day, Paula. What do you want to work on?” he asks her. Petrosky says she walked a mile already that morning. Her pain is “nothing big,” she says. “I’m happy with the progress and how it’s all gone.” A few weeks earlier, the day after she arrived home after surgery, Veschecco helped her in twice-weekly visits learn how to navigate everyday actions like getting in and out of the bathtub or the car, managing medications and using a walker as she walked around the block. By now she’s walking well without any assistance. Petrosky says having someone come into the home to provide care helps patients heal and avoid setbacks. “It really saves that return to the hospital,” she says. In-home visits post surgery are just one of three main programs offered by VNA, now celebrating 75 years in the region that includes Monterey, Santa Cruz, San Benito and South Santa Clara counties. In addition to VNA Home Health—which includes specialty care for orthopedic, cardiac, diabetic and palliative issues—the nonprofit offers hospice care and community services like vaccinations and health screenings. (In-home services are available with a doctor’s referral and are covered primarily by insurance.) VNA was created in 1951 by a group of volunteers as the Monterey Peninsula Visiting Nurse Association. They had a single nurse making one home visit every other day on the Monterey Peninsula. Today, the agency has more than 200 employees and 35 volunteers with roughly 220 home visits every day covering all of Monterey County and beyond, says Jane Russo, VNA’s CEO. Last year, VNA workers made more than 73,000 visits in the county, serving over 3,800 patients. Volunteers contributed nearly 40,000 hours. “We are who we are because of our people,” Russo says. A good portion of home visits are for the VNA Hospice program, helping people in their final months, weeks and days of life, as well as offering support to their families. Ann McKechnie, a medical social worker, and Britta Ballerini, a registered nurse, who both work for VNA, call their work in hospice a calling. “This is my favorite. I love hospice,” says McKechnie, a little misty eyed as she speaks. “We provide a really good service. People do need a good hospice program at the end of life, so you can die at home the way you want to die. Every plan of care we have is individualized—we do what the patient wants.” Ballerini, a case manager RN for 10 years, says, “It’s such an honor to be allowed to be part of that part of life—to be allowed into their homes at this fragile time in their life—and try to support them as best as we can and meet them where they are.” A team of people cares for each patient, including a hospice physician, nurse practitioner, social workers, peer counselors, home health aides and others. Someone is available 24/7 to answer questions. They go wherever the patients are—in private homes, assisted living facilities and, in one case, to someone who was homeless. In recent years the VNA has been expanding its offerings to the community and filling health care gaps. It has added palliative care for those with long-term illnesses, grief support for families and community members and forged partnerships with other health organizations such as the Aspire Health Plan and Central Coast Alliance for Health. As the VNA heads into the future, Russo says the agency hopes to further expand by adding more volunteers throughout the organization to support its work. Enduring Visit Central Coast VNA & Hospice celebrates 75 years of helping people heal at home. By Pam Marino “We do what the patient wants.” TALES FROM THE AREA CODE NIK BLASKOVICH Paula Petrosky takes a walk in her Salinas garden with physical therapist Brett Veschecco as she recovers from hip replacement surgery. In-home visits are part of the programs offered by the Central Coast VNA & Hospice. Advocate for Patients Clinical Quality Expert promoting best practices Assisted hospital to achieve CMS 5 Star rating in 2024, & current 4 Star Understands hospital operations & finances after 40 yrs experience Added a dashboard with safety and clinical metrics to monitor harm to patients Was on the CEO Search Committee for Dr. Radner Supported SVH becoming an Age-Friendly hospital Please Vote on or before NOVEMBER 3rd Re-Elect Catherine Carson, RN, BSN, MPA, CPHQ To Board of Directors, Salinas Valley Health Paid for by Catherine Carson, FPPC# 1451953
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjAzNjQ1NQ==