Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 102 Part 1.djvu/46

 102 STAT. 8

PUBLIC LAW 100-246—FEB. 11, 1988 Public Law 100-246 100th Congress Joint Resolution

Feb. 11, 1988 [S.J. Res. 172]

To designate the period commencing February 21, 1988, and ending February 27, 1988, as "National Visiting Nurse Associations Week".

Whereas Visiting Nurse Associations have served homebound Americans since 1885; Whereas such Associations annually provide home care and support services to nearly 1,000,000 men, women, children, and infants; Whereas such Associations serve 504 urban and rural communities in 47 States; Whereas such Associations adhere to high standards of quality and provide personalized and cost-effective home health care and support regardless of the individual's ability to pay; Whereas such Associations are voluntary in nature, independently operated, and community-based; Whereas such Associations ensure the quality of care through oversight provided by professional advisory committees composed of local physicians and nurses; Whereas such Associations enable hundreds of thousands of Americans to recover from illness and injury in the comfort and security of their homes; Whereas such Associations ensure that individuals who are chronically ill or who have physical and mental handicaps receive the therapeutic benefits of care and support services provided in the home; Whereas, in the absence of such Associations, thousands of patients with mental or physical handicaps or chronically disabling illnesses would have to be institutionalized; Whereas such Associations provide a wide range of services, including (where appropriate) health care, hospice care, personal care, homemaking, occupational, physical, and speech therapy, "friendly visiting services", social services, nutritional counseling, specialized nursing services, and meals on wheels; Whereas such Associations offer nursing care provided by registered nurses, homemaking, therapy, and social services by qualified specialists, and "friendly visiting services" by volunteers; Whereas in each community served by such Associations, local volunteers support the Association by serving on the board of directors, raising funds, visiting patients in their homes, assisting patients and nurses at wellness clinics, delivering meals on wheels to patients, running errands for patients, working in the Association's office, and providing tender loving care; Whereas the need for home health care for young and old alike continues to grow annually; and Whereas on February 23, 1988 a national meeting of Visting Nurse Associations from throughout the United States will be held in Innisbrook, Florida: Now, therefore, be it

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