Employee Spotlight: Clinical Manager Kelly Weldon believes in “going the extra mile”

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Kelly WeldonFrom her first day at Homeland Center in October 2017, Kelly Weldon “just dove right in, talking to everybody, remembering the things they like and don’t like.”

Kelly spent the first 16 years of her nursing career working at an area retirement community. She left there to work at the State Correctional Institute at Camp Hill, but the job mostly entailed dispensing medications, and it wasn’t as fulfilling as working with the elderly.

“I missed the hustle and bustle of having residents and hearing about their lives and taking care of them,” she said. “They’re funny and great to be around.”

Kelly is responsible for clinical management in Personal Care at Homeland Center. She loves getting to know the residents. In fact, she said, she could never work at a hospital because it would frustrate her to see patients going in and out.

“I like to know who I’m taking care of,” she said. “I like to know everything about them from A to Z, their families and their medications.”

That familiarity with individual residents and their families contributes to excellence in services, she believes.

“We get to know someone and their background and know their family and feel close to them,’’ she said. “To me, it provides for better care.”

At Homeland, she loves “the fact that the residents are first and foremost. No matter what they need or what they want, they will get it. Anything. They’re well taken care of.”

When one resident needed a rolling walker, Kelly gave her a walker that belonged to her husband’s grandmother when she lived with them.

“That brightened her whole life,” she said. “Every time I see her, she says thank you for the walker.”

Kelly grew up in Marysville and after graduating from high school studied nursing at Harrisburg Area Community College. Kelly’s mother was a nurse as well, recently retiring after 40 years working in maternity care.

“It’s about that nurturing, just to be a nurse and a caregiver,” Kelly said, adding she learned those lessons early from her mother. “You don’t leave your shift until everything’s taken care of and everything’s right. You go the extra mile.”

It was while working at the Camp Hill prison that she realized she wanted to return to senior care.

Outside of work, she and her husband have three teenagers, a 13-year-old son and two daughters, 15 and 17. Kelly’s husband, retired from the Army National Guard Reserves, is a stay-at-home dad. His 15 years of service included tours in Germany and Iraq. Her parents were a tremendous help when her husband was overseas. On nights she wasn’t around to make dinner, the kids called it “fend for yourself night.”

“We had a lot of leftovers,” said the Lower Paxton Township resident. “It was a good experience for them to be on their own. I’m teaching them to be very independent because I’m independent. I want my kids to be able to do for themselves.”

Kelly said she’s at Homeland to stay.

“I hope to retire here because it feels like home,’’ she said. “It just feels right.”

A well-deserved thanks for Homeland Center and Homeland Hospice volunteers

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Thank you, Homeland volunteers!Typing handwritten recipes into a computer, even with a broken wrist. Playing table games with an elderly hospice patient who outfoxes his opponents every time.

The spirit of volunteerism energizes Homeland Center and Homeland Hospice. Homeland Center’s 104 volunteers and Homeland Hospice’s 54 volunteers enjoyed an elegant dinner recognizing their contributions in helping Homeland maintain the highest standards of personal attention and engagement.

“Thank you,” Homeland Center President/CEO Barry S. Ramper II told the volunteers. “We deeply appreciate your commitment in choosing to use the most valuable commodity you have – your time – in the interest of serving others – namely, the residents of Homeland Center, patients of Homeland Hospice, and clients of Homeland HomeCare.”

About 80 volunteers joined Homeland residents and staff in the Homeland Main Dining Room, enjoying a meal of raspberry marinated herb chicken breast, parmesan roasted red potatoes, and green beans almandine, prepared by Homeland culinary staff. There was a special treat as well: a repeat performance of song parodies written for Homeland’s 150th-anniversary gala by local actors Rick Stevens and Debbie Smith, accompanied by pianist Steve Rudolph.

Each volunteer received a “Kind” bar – a chocolate bar from Matangos Candies, customized with Homeland’s logo – and thanked for making a difference in the life of a resident or patient. Special awards were received by:
• Sherry Lank, most administrative hours for Homeland Hospice, 163.5 hours.
• Ron Brinkley, most patient care hours for Homeland Hospice, 148.5 hours.
• Wendy Shearer, Homeland Center gift shop volunteer.
• Tyana Jennings, a teen volunteer who spends much of her free time as a companion to Homeland Center residents.

Each volunteer has a story to tell of touching a life or many lives.

Thank you, Homeland volunteers!Homeland Hospice volunteers Phil Talarico and Ken Decker rotate Tuesday mornings playing dominoes and card games with an elderly Dillsburg-area patient who is always smiling and ready for the challenge.

“I have only beaten him in Five Crowns less than five times in over a year,” said Talarico, of Upper Allen Twp. “He wipes me out every week.”

The Dillsburg patient is surrounded by family, but other hospice patients “don’t have that advantage,” said Talarico, a 10-year Homeland Hospice veteran. “People like to have company, so it’s a good thing to let them talk and share.”

For patients nearing the end of life, hospice volunteers are a comforting presence, said Decker, of Silver Spring Twp. “They need somebody to be at their side. I know that God’s there with me to help that patient take the final step.”

Homeland Hospice volunteers include companions to patients, errand runners for families, vigil keepers, envelope stuffers, and support group assistants, said Leanne Porterfield, coordinator of volunteers.

“They are givers – of time, of passion, of self,” she said. “Homeland Hospice is blessed by their amazing gift and spirit. They are certainly deserving of our heartfelt gratitude.”

At Homeland Center, volunteer Barbara Cleeland says she does “the humdrum work” such as alphabetizing files to help development office staff concentrate on fundraising.

“They have more important things to do,” she said.Thank you, Homeland volunteers!

Barbara also brings 46 years of high-level management to her post. From the 1960s until retirement in 1984, she was West Coast reservations office manager for British Airways – the first woman to hold that post for the airline. Among her fond memories of working for the airline is seeing the curvature of the earth and the deep cobalt blue of the atmosphere while flying on the Concorde from Washington to London in the 1970s.

Barbara had a broken wrist when she typed in all the recipes, many handwritten, for the 150th anniversary “Heritage Recipes from Homeland Center.”

“We had recipes from residents and family members and board of directors,” she said. “They came in all shapes and sizes.” However, with help from software supplied by the cookbook publisher, “it didn’t take long.”

Barbara also serves on Homeland Center’s Board of Managers, supporting projects to keep Homeland’s public spaces refurbished.

“We like to have the place looking nice,” she said. “It gives a good appearance. My father was here. My sister was here. I know it matters to the residents.”

Homeland’s Easter egg hunt fun for all ages

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Homeland's Easter egg huntAs she watched her grandchildren happily opening the colored plastic Easter eggs, Homeland Center resident Jean White mused the adults get as big a kick out of the annual hunt as the kids.

“I like it that Homeland encourages everyone to participate and includes families,’’ Jean said, taking in the happy squeals as the grandkids discovered favorite candies. “This is great for the kids and the grownups and I actually think the grownups enjoy it more, getting to watch the kids.’’

Homeland’s staff stuffed 1,000 brightly colored plastic eggs with treats and hid them throughout Homeland Center’s units, including Skilled Nursing, Personal Care and the Ellenberger memory care unit, said Gillian Sumpter, Director of Activities.

In addition to the egg hunt, kids were lining up in Homeland’s 1950s-style diner for face painting by local artist Taqiyya Muhammad. A visit by the Easter Bunny, also known as local performer Jimmy Edwards, was on the day’s agenda as well.

“I like the peanut butter eggs,” said Jean’s 9-year-old grandson, Luke, examining his sugary haul with siblings Leo, 7, Jacob, 6, Matthew, 4 and Sarah.

Luke’s mom and Jean’s granddaughter, Heather LaCour, looked on with her husband, Andy, and smiled.

“This is great – I can tell the residents enjoy it and I know their grandmother enjoys it,’’ Heather said, adding that her family loves Homeland’s summer picnics and festival. “I think it’s good to have events that give families the opportunity to get together. It’s important that Homeland is family-friendly.’’

Homeland's Easter egg huntElsewhere in Homeland, Gilbert Leo happily looked on as three generations of his family enjoyed the fun.

Homeland's Easter egg hunt“You get excellent care,’’ Gilbert said of Homeland.

His daughter, Michele Pease, said she could see how much her father and the other residents were enjoying seeing family. Michele said she appreciates the effort Homeland makes to plan these kinds of events.

Michele was joined by her brother, Tim Leo, and both of their children and grandchildren. Michele’s adult children, Morgan and Vincent, had fun watching Vincent’s 7-year-old son, Kamden, hunt for treats. Tim’s daughter, Tara Leo Auchey, was there with her husband, Caleb and their 10-month-old twins, Cassius and Bowie.

“It really uplifts my Dad,’’ Michele said. “These events really make Homeland feel like home and make the residents feel more connected.’’

Brother Tim agreed.

“I’m thrilled with the care they receive,’’ Tim said. “The staff pays attention to the residents and events like this bring everyone together.’’

Employee Spotlight: CNA/medication technician Eve James believes in making a difference

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Eve JamesEve James was a teenaged Homeland volunteer, helping residents with little things throughout the day. She quickly learned how much a small act of kindness could mean.

“We had a resident who didn’t have a lot of family, and she loved to do crossword puzzles,” says Eve. “I went to the store and got some crossword puzzles, and they were a dollar. Two books. She wept with gratitude. It made me feel so good that I could make her day.’’

Those two years as a volunteer led to a long-term commitment to Homeland. Today, Eve, 35, is a CNA/medication technician, working for Homeland since December 1999.

She began volunteering for Homeland at age 14 as an opportunity to “do something different,” especially outside a busy household of eight children – her five sisters and two brothers. She always looked for ways to help, from reading newspapers aloud to residents and giving manicures to assisting with correspondence.

“I always felt that I made a difference, even if I touched just one life that day,” she says.

Eve volunteered until she was 16, when she went to work at McDonald’s. In those days, she didn’t quite get what school was all about, so she dropped out before graduating. At age 18, she came to work for Homeland in the activities office. Since that day in 1999, she has built “so many memories connected to Homeland.”

“Homeland almost raised me,” she said. “I had a lot of my firsts here. I lost my father in 2002 while working at Homeland. I almost went into labor there with my first child. One of the nurses counted my contractions. She said, ‘I think we need to call your doctor.’”

She also credits Homeland with teaching her valuable life lessons about care and respect and to look for ways to help people outside the workplace. While at Homeland, she also started rethinking the value of education.

“After my first son was born, I knew I needed to do better,” she says. “I had to get my GED. I had to continue. I didn’t want him to think It was okay to drop out of school, so I went back, and I finished.”

She started pursuing studies in human services at Harrisburg Area Community College – perfectly suited to her interest in helping and being around others. At Homeland, she has worked in a variety of roles, including as activities coordinator, personal care activities manager, and as an aide in the Ellenberger memory care unit and skilled care. Homeland then trained her to dispense medications for her current position as a CNA and certified medication tech.

To succeed at Homeland, “you must be a genuine person,” she says. “You catch little glimpses of the differences you’re making. It can be the smallest thing, even with the different rapport you have with different residents.”

Outside of Homeland, Eve values the time she spends with her 14-year-old son A.J. Jones, 19-month-old son Mason Brown and fiancé Robert Brown. With another baby on the way – a little brother to her boys – Eve happily describes herself as a homebody.

“The older I get, the more I recognize what’s really important,” she says. “Over these last three or four years, I’ve come to recognize what I thought was important before is insignificant.”

She believes that she and her fellow Homeland CNAs “advocate for the residents on a daily basis,” making sure they get what they need and want – even if it’s ordering up a grilled turkey and cheese on wheat bread that’s not on the day’s menu.

“It’s not just a job,” she says. “Anyone who works in this field has to have a heart.”

Resident Spotlight: Donald Rudy’s work offers delicious memories

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Donald RudyIn the lunch meat business, there’s one thing you learn by doing.

“I had to learn to slice,” said Homeland resident Donald Rudy. In those days, slicers didn’t have automatic stackers, so the operator had to slice and stack as he went along. “You’ve got to have good coordination, and you had to be fast. It was a knack.”

For 22 years, Rudy’s Farmer’s Market, in the Progress area of Harrisburg, served customers the best in meats and cheeses. It continued a tradition started by Rudy’s father, who in 1919 opened Frank B. Rudy and Sons in the city’s Broad Street Market.

Don and his brother, Burton, got into the business, and their cousins had similar stands in other markets. Shipments of lunch meats and massive wheels of cheese would arrive, and everyone would get to work.

At Eastertime, there were whole hams to be cut. “One Easter, we sold 500 hams,” said Don. “Easter, Christmas, and Fourth of July were our big weeks.”

The Fourth of July also was a big day in Don’s life because that’s when in 1954, he married his wife, Frances. They met as teens at Broad Street Market, where Frances’ father, Lynn Farver, owned a produce stand. The only problem: She lived in Mechanicsburg, and he lived in Progress.

“We bus-dated,” Don said. “I’d take my bus, and she’d take her bus. It depended on where the movie was.”

Frances was 18 and Don was almost 19 when they got married. He kept working for his father. She joined the business, too, and also worked for a food producer. Everywhere Fran went, she spread joy. He remembered one day when they took separate seats on the bus, and he could hear her chatting with someone. He asked if she knew that person. “No,” she said. They just happened to be seatmates.

Their lives revolved around family. Don and Frances had four daughters. Don, his brother, and his parents built neighboring homes. Every Sunday, everyone from both sides of the family would gather at Don and Fran’s house for sandwiches, pinochle, and shooting pool.

In 1968, they decided to build their own market on Route 22, on the outskirts of Harrisburg. At Rudy’s Farmers Market, shoppers found everything they needed, sold by a variety of vendors – meats, cheese, seafood, bread. A grocery section carried canned goods and other staples.

Donald Rudy with daughtersUntil it closed in 1990, the market was “a gathering place,” said Don’s oldest daughter, Debbie Kurtz, who was visiting recently along with her sister, Cindy Thomas. “You always saw people at the same time every week. You knew who would come on Friday nights, and they would make hours of it.”

Don moved to Homeland after Frances came for rehab. In the months before her death in January 2018, she formed strong bonds with her Homeland caregivers.

“They took terrific care of my mother,” Debbie said. “They were very informative. They genuinely liked her, so there was a rapport.”

Today, Don is the proud grandfather of 11, and great-grandfather of 15, ages 1 to 23. He likes life at Homeland. He enjoys Sunday services. When he can find three other players, he enjoys playing pinochle.

“I have a nice apartment,” he said. “I like the staff here.”

Pianist Domingo Mancuello brings ragtime melodies to Homeland

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Domingo Mancuello told the Homeland Center audience that he would play three songs by a little-known songwriter names Isham Jones.

“One is called ‘Sweet Man,’ and the other is called ‘Sugar,’” he said. “And I’m not going to tell you the name of the third song because you’re going to know the title, and when you recognize that song, I want you to shout it out. Shout it out loudly, because this piano is loud.”

As the medley approached the end of the second tune, Mancuello burnished a few chords on the piano, slowed down the pace, and launched into a song that was recognizable in the first three notes.

“Sweet Georgia Brown!” Homeland residents shouted with delight.

On a Monday afternoon in early March, the young Mancuello brought an old form of music to Homeland. Under his fingers, the sounds of ragtime practically exploded from Homeland’s Steinway grand piano, a gift from a former resident.

“This is a great piano,” he said during his presentation. “It was definitely made in the 1920s because it feels good under my fingers.”

The large crowd of Homeland residents gathered in the Main Dining Room appreciated the serendipity. Toes tapped and heads nodded as Mancuello played familiar tunes and introduced lesser-known compositions, almost all from ragtime’s heyday in the first half of the 20th century.

Mancuello has played piano since age 4 – he’s now 25 – and discovered ragtime when his grandfather sang with a barbershop quartet. He and his grandfather were prowling antique shops, hunting for phonograph needles, when he heard a player piano for the first time. He was transfixed.

Today, he is production assistant at Fulton Theatre, Lancaster, while also pursuing his passion for ragtime. He tries to preserve an old tradition while refreshing it for the 21st century. He even played two of his own compositions for Homeland residents, including one soon to appear on “Ragtime Wizardry 2,” a compilation of new ragtime pieces from Rivermont Records.

“I don’t frown on modern music because what I’m playing was once the loud music,” he said.

Music wasn’t Mancuello’s only early love. As a child, he was obsessed with Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoons, not only watching the show but delving into its origins.

“I read books on how it was made, the animation process, how it was produced, and how the producers lived their lives to be the people who made Rocky and Bullwinkle,” he said after his performance for residents. “The show itself brought me so much joy that I thought, ‘How do I create something like that?’ My whole M.O. is, let’s just try to make people feel happy.”

During his Homeland performance, residents happily sang along when they knew the words to the songs. They joined in with “Ain’t She Sweet,” “Yes, Sir, That’s My Baby,” and “Has Anybody Seen My Gal?” When Mancuello played “Sweet Georgia Brown,” someone whistled the tune, just as it’s been performed for decades as the Harlem Globetrotters’ theme song.

Mancuello, veteran stage manager of many theatrical productions, has a quick smile and a relaxed manner. He thanked the residents and the sponsors who made his performance possible, Donna K. Anderson, president and CEO of On-Line Publishers, Inc., and her husband, Stan Anderson.

“It gives me such great pleasure to get to play this music for people because normally it’s just me in my apartment with a piece of sheet music,” he said.

Resident, Naomi Packer, called the performance “wonderful.”

“He brought back memories of my mother,” she said. “She was quite a piano player. She played all of this ragtime, but she also played very soft, smooth music. She was a great person, too.”

At the conclusion, resident Phoebe Berner stood up to thank Mancuello on behalf of everyone in the room.

“When this young man plays on Broadway, we can say we saw him at Homeland,” she said.