Visiting Angels Joins Private Duty Homecare Association

Washington, D.C.; December 8, 2006 -- The National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) today announced that Visiting Angels Living Assistance Services (Visiting Angels), Havertown, PA, has joined the Private Duty Homecare Association (PDHCA), a NAHC affiliate.

"We are delighted to welcome Visiting Angels to PDHCA," said NAHC President Val J. Halamandaris. "Long term care is one of the most critical issues facing an aging American public. We believe private duty programs are an increasingly important part of the solution, and we are extremely pleased to add the industry leadership of Visiting Angels to our group. We look forward to working with Visiting Angels CEO Larry Meigs and his team to advance policy, develop markets and inform consumers about private duty services."

Larry Meigs said PDHCA has much to offer the Visiting Angels parent company and its 300 franchisees around the country: "We are tremendously excited to be joining PDHCA and working with Val Halamandaris and others at NAHC to drive the private duty agenda. Although private duty home care providers don't generally have the red tape headaches of those in Medicare or Medicaid, the challenges are no less formidable. These challenges include finding qualified personnel, fielding affordable services, offering high caliber care and keeping our clients at home--out of the nursing homes or assisted living facilities. We are confident that PDHCA will help us accomplish our varied missions."

Peter Tourian, Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Synergy HomeCare, welcomed Visiting Angels to PDHCA: "I am pleased Visiting Angels has decided to encourage its new and existing franchisees to join the Private Duty Home Care Association. As our nation ages and the Greatest Generation - The Baby Boomers - start to require non-medical home care assistance, Synergy HomeCare, Visiting Angels and other great companies that are members of the PDHCA will lead the way by working together to help promote and service the private duty industry. I commend the leadership at Visiting Angels for having the foresight to join the PDHCA and encourage other leaders of industry to follow our lead in joining the Private Duty Home Care Association."

About NAHC
The National Association for Home Care & Hospice, the industry's oldest and most respected trade group, represents the interests of nearly 20,000 home care agencies and hospice organizations (including approximately 11,500 Medicare-certified home health agencies) that annually serve nearly nine million Americans as well as home care aide organizations, home care giving staff and their clients. NAHC members believe that quality home care and hospice, humane and cost-effective alternatives to institutionalization, are the right of all Americans. Home care and hospice reinforce and supplement the care provided by family members and friends and encourage maximum independence of thought and functioning as well as the preservation of human dignity.

About PDHCA
The Private Duty Homecare Association (PDHCA) was established by the National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC). It is a trade association of home care providers dedicated to helping the ill and disabled remain in their own homes. PDHCA services focus on providing valuable information to its members, including help in understanding federal guidelines, financial management assistance, networking, business strategy meetings, certification and accreditation, and new product offerings. PDHCA is designed to answer all the questions that private duty home care providers may have regarding their businesses and practices.