To the Editor:
For more than 100 years, Visiting Nurses of the Lower Valley has been a trusted presence along the Connecticut shoreline, providing compassionate, high-quality healthcare to individuals in the comfort of their own homes. As a not-for-profit, community-based agency, our mission has always been to put people before profit—and we remain deeply committed to that mission today.
Our dedicated team of skilled nurses, physical, occupational, and speech therapists, home health aides, and social workers work tirelessly to help patients heal safely and comfortably at home. Whether you’re recovering from surgery, managing a chronic illness, or need support transitioning from hospital to home, we’re here when you need us most.
But now, we need you.
Why Community Support Matters
As a small, independently operated agency, we are facing unprecedented challenges:
- Declining reimbursements from insurance companies
- Rising competition from large, corporate healthcare systems
- Referral limitations by hospitals and skilled nursing facilities that often direct patients only to their partnered agencies
These trends threaten the existence of independent providers like Visiting Nurses of the Lower Valley—providers who have long stood as pillars in their communities.
Despite these pressures, we refuse to compromise on what matters most: personalized, timely, and compassionate care.
What Sets Us Apart
- No delays in services—we’re small, responsive, and focused on your needs
- Personalized attention—you’re never a number
- Local and not-for-profit—choosing us supports a community-based agency that reinvests in your neighborhood
- Trusted for generations—our roots in the Lower Valley run deep
You Have the Right to Choose
Did you know that you have the legal right to choose your home healthcare provider? Under Connecticut General Statute 19a-504d, patients can request the agency they prefer. When you’re at the hospital or rehab facility and planning your return home, ask for Visiting Nurses of the Lower Valley by name—and continue with the team you already trust.
How You Can Help
- Choose us and support local when you or a loved one needs homecare
- Spread the word to family, friends, and neighbors
- Advocate for patient choice in healthcare
- Donate to support our not-for-profit mission and help us continue serving your community
To learn more about our services or how to support our work, visit www.visitingnurses.org or call 860-767-0186.
We are honored to walk beside you on your care journey—and with your support, we’ll continue to do so for the next century and beyond.
Sincerely,
Sarah Foley on behalf of The Visiting Nurses of the Lower Valley,
Old Lyme
Editor’s Note: About 15% of Visiting Nurses of the Lower Valley’s clientele comes from Old Lyme. The group also serves Centerbrook, Chester, Clinton, Deep River, East Haddam, East Lyme, Essex, Haddam, Ivoryton, Killingworth, Madison, Moodus, Old Saybrook, Waterford, and Westbrook.
