Being ill can be stressful for anyone, but especially so for seniors. It can be physically and mentally exhausting. But there is a way to relieve some of the strain.

Visiting nurse agencies truly make a difference in health care. Imagine being treated right in your own living room by someone whose main concern at the moment is you.

Some of the home care services, along with visits by nurses, include those with physical, occupational and speech therapists, home health aides and medical social workers. These services can be a lifeline to seniors who qualify. Physician approval is needed.

It is no wonder, with all this good work, that a week has been dedicated to these outstanding professionals. Bangor Area Visiting Nurses, a member of the Visiting Nurse Association of America, is looking forward to Visiting Nurse Association Week, which runs May 8-14.

“We are proud to take part in a celebration that helps promote the great work of home care. This week is designated to raise public awareness about home health care and the critical role visiting nurses and other clinicians play in providing comprehensive, affordable services,” said Deb Jacques, director of community education at BAVN.

“And we have even more reason to celebrate at BAVN,” added Helen Genco, chief operating officer. “Last December, we participated in a conference in New Hampshire and had an opportunity to share our best practices on low re-admissions to the hospital. What an honor to be among the top 10 percent of home care agencies in the country to have low patient re-admissions to the hospital. We are incredibly proud of our staff for this accomplishment.”

The honor is well-deserved. BAVN has been providing home health and hospice care for 93 years. Nearly 1,000 area residents are helped annually by the agency.

Home care is an essential component of good health care for a variety of reasons, Jacques said.

“Today, patients are discharged ‘quicker and sicker’ from the hospital,” she said. “That’s where home care steps in and provides clinical services to patients. And with our aging population, the need for home care services will continue to increase. And it still remains the lowest-cost form of health care services available.”

BAVN provides a variety of in-home services including care for chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, osteo-arthritis, orthopedics and hard-to-heal wounds. They also have a hospice program, Hospice of Eastern Maine, offering end-of-life care and bereavement services.

People of all ages are treated, from infants to the elderly, but they also work with the patient’s family, teaching them how to best care for their ill loved one.

“We offer Pathfinders, a support group for grieving children, too,” said Jacques. “This program, founded 12 years ago by Maria Brountas and the late Barbara Eames, provides grief services to children ages 3-18 and their families. It’s important because children grieve differently than adults, and Pathfinders recognizes that. We help approximately 100 children and adults annually and have launched a new grief Web site that we hope will help those in our region who do not have access to a local children’s grieving program.”

BAVN’s mission statement says it all: We provide quality, compassionate care at home. And they are very grateful to the community for ensuring a successful capital campaign last year.

“Thanks to many volunteers and donors, BAVN exceeded its $75,000 goal to raise money to acquire upgraded electronic medical record units for each of its clinicians,” said Jacques. “The clinicians are very happy with their updated, faster units that help provide safer, more responsive patient care. And that is always our goal.”

For more information about BAVN, call 973-6550 or visit www.bavn.org. And for Pathfinders information, visit www.pathfindersmaine.org.

Carol Higgins is director of communications at Eastern Agency on Aging. For information on EAA, call 941-2865, e-mail info@eaaa.org, or visit www.eaaa.org.