(Radio Iowa) – The Waterloo Visiting Nurses Association will be closing its doors at the end of the month after almost a century of work in Black Hawk County and beyond. Executive director Annett Burke says like many nonprofit health organizations, the Waterloo Visiting Nurses Association has seen diminishing private donations and minimal Medicare reimbursement. “With all of that, it has all combined into the perfect storm in that we are just no longer able to provide services and still cover the overhead.” Burke says staffing has become a major issue.

“It’s very difficult to get and retain nurses and nurses aids,” says. “They are the ones who are the meat of the industry.” The non-profit in Waterloo has provided a variety of services, like nutrition classes, blood pressure checks and immunization clinics.

There are other Visiting Nurses Associations still operating in the state in places like Council Bluffs, Iowa City and Dubuque.