VNA of Northwest Indiana

Heart Month

This February, VNA Hospice can help someone you love. We provide easy communication with doctors and a plan of care to treat symptoms like chest pain and weakness in a comforting environment. 

It could be time to consider cardiovascular hospice care if someone you love with a heart condition is:

•  Frequently visiting the ER or hospital
• Uncomfortable during physical activity
• Losing weight
• Falling
• Having trouble breathing
• In extreme pain
• Nauseous or vomiting
• Resistant to treatment or discontinuing aggressive treatment

We Honor Veterans Program: Level 5 Status

We're proud to announce the achievement of Level 5 status in the We Honor Veterans program, awarded by The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO). It is the highest level a hospice provider can achieve in the program; only seven other hospices in the State of Indiana have achieved this distinction. The VNA of NWI is the only such provider in Northwest Indiana to be recognized with the program’s “Five Stars” and we see it as an indication of our deep commitment to our veteran community.

Volunteer Coordinator Erica Kerkes and a team of staff and volunteers have been integral in obtaining this certification. We've been rigorously working toward this rating for more than a year by meeting high standards in training, outreach, partnerships, and reporting. The requirements included hosting veterans panels, “Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans” events, collaborating with the Veterans Administration, intensive training of staff and volunteers on veteran-related issues and care, and integrating new practices into care planning for veterans and their families.

Meet the Doctors

VNA of NWI's hospice and palliative care programs are led by one of the strongest medical teams in the Region. Medical Director Dr. Joe Venditti is joined by hospice physicians Rupesh Shah, DO, and Arjun Gupta, MD. In addition, we employ two nurse practitioners, including one who is certified in palliative care.

“I’m incredibly proud of the expertise we are privileged to have in terms of medical oversight and guidance. We have decades of accumulated hospice experience on this team, as well as a cumulative passion for eldercare and their commitment to incredibly high standards and expectations of care. I doubt very much that any other hospice, especially the private, for-profit enterprises have invested this heavily in medical oversight and care." 
—Bob Franko, President/CEO