Berkshire Visiting Nurse Association Recognized by U.S. News & World Report

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire Visiting Nurse Association has been named a Best Home Health agency for 2026 by U.S. News & World Report.

This recognition comes as part of U.S. News' first-ever evaluation of home health providers, identifying the top-performing agencies in the United States.

With more than three million patients turning to home health agencies each year, this debut analysis offers a much-needed, independent view of quality. By prioritizing patient outcomes and consumer experience for a predominantly senior population, these ratings provide clarity for families, in consultation with their physicians, making crucial care decisions. The Berkshire VNA earned the "High Performing" designation – the highest level of recognition – for exceeding expectations in care quality and patient experience based on U.S. News' methodology.

"The nurses and therapists at the Berkshire VNA provide the highest standard of care for our home care patients, day in and day out," said Tejas Ghandi, Berkshire Health Systems Vice President and Berkshire Medical Center Chief Operating Officer. "This national recognition reflects their commitment to excellence as they travel across the county and provide hands-on care in the patients' homes."

In the first edition of Best Home Health, U.S. News evaluated more than 12,000 agencies. Just 17 percent of the agencies U.S. News rated were awarded the Best Home Health designation from U.S. News.

"Earning the Best Home Health distinction is a significant achievement, as it is reserved only for those agencies that satisfy U.S. News' standards of care quality and patient experience," said Ben Harder, chief of health analysis and managing editor at U.S. News.

The Best Home Health methodology developed by U.S. News leverages two data sets from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Data on care quality measures, including timely initiation of care and outcomes such as potentially preventable hospitalizations, were combined with patient experience surveys to produce the ratings. The ratings and underlying data for each agency, published on USNews.com, provide consumers with the trusted data and clarity they need to confidently choose, in consultation with their health care providers, the right care for a family member or themselves.

Allendale Pines North Affordable Manufactured Homes Sell Fast

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
05:17PM / Saturday, August 22, 2026

Developer Teton Management cut the ribbon on the first six hopes in the manufactured housing community earlier this year. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Just a few months after Allendale Pines North cut the ribbon on its first six homes in the new manufactured home community, units in the planned development are selling fast with both first and second phases all but sold out.

 

For several years, Teton Management Corp. has been planning to expand its existing Allendale Pines Mobile Community with the development of 22 planned manufactured housing units. The new development has its own entrance at 395 Cheshire Road. 

 

The need for attainable housing has never been higher, Teton President George Whaling said. 

 

"And where we sought the opportunity to help with that demand is, we can get folks into a home at Allendale Pines North for essentially a couple of $100 less than what it would cost for someone to rent a three-bedroom of the same quality," he said. 

 

The corporation took over Allendale Pines, now referred to as Allendale Pines South, about 6 1/2 years ago, Whaling said. 

 

Since then, the corporation has invested $1,000,001 in infrastructure improvements, including replacing all water and sewer lines, paving the community and installing the infrastructure needed for 10 additional units, he said. 

 

Additionally, it has been working to clean up and improve the community, which was lacking during previous ownership, said Jason Nocher, owner of Nocher Realty, which has been hired to help sell the units.