Homeland Center incentivizing employees all-around health

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Homeland Center incentivizing employees’ all-around health

Winners of 2019 Homeland Well-Being Award – Missy, Stacey, Amy

Last May, Homeland Center President and CEO Barry S. Ramper issued a challenge: Two employees who excelled at improving their well-being would receive a $2,500 award.

“For us to be the best we can be for the group of residents, patients, and clients who’ve entrusted their lives to us, we have to be at our personal best,” Barry said when he kicked off the challenge that features a winner from Homeland Center and one from Homeland At Home, which provides home-based personal assistance, skilled nursing care and hospice.

Winners of the 2019 Homeland Employee Well-Being Award were Homeland Center’s Amy Kidd, Assistant Director of Nursing and Dementia Unit Manager, and Melissa Harner, an intake coordinator for Homeland Hospice. Stacey Schroder, a social worker with Homeland Hospice, also won $1,000 in a raffle drawn for participants who earned a set well-being point minimum. Winners were announced on February 4 during a small award ceremony and celebration in the Homeland Center Diner.

To keep the momentum going and encourage higher levels of employee engagement, Barry announced a new round of the award scheduled to kick off March 1, 2020.

Homeland’s Employee Wellness Program Coordinator and Health Psychologist Dr. Roxane Hearn developed the initiative by consulting other colleagues in the field of corporate wellness, applying psychological theories of behavior change, and customizing the approach for Homeland. The structure allowed all employees to participate, whether they needed to make changes or were already leading healthy lifestyles.

Participants compiled points on well-being criteria contributing to physical, emotional, and financial wellness dimensions. Criteria to earn well-being points included but were not limited to maintaining or improving biometrics such as blood pressure and visceral fat, tracking caloric intake, using a meditation app and taking yoga classes, writing a letter of gratitude to someone special, and creating a personal budget.

“Most participants reported they already considered making changes to become healthier, but the introduction of the Well-Being Award gave them the extra push they needed to turn their intentions into actions,” says Dr. Hearn. “I enjoyed working with employees who had never sought out employee wellness services in the past because they considered themselves healthy. However, they were not considering all of the dimensions of health and wellness.”

Five years ago, Amy Kidd, won a different Homeland challenge, based solely on weight. She lost 50 pounds, but over time, bad habits crept back in. The Well-Being Award was her wake-up call.

“A lot of it wasn’t about weight loss,” says Amy, who started meditating for five minutes a day and practicing yoga, which eased her muscles after a long day. “It was about being well overall.”

Amy wrote her letter of gratitude to Dr. Hearn because “she’s constantly helping other people.”

Amy and her son Vinny sharing the celebration.

Through it all, Amy’s biggest fan was her son, Vinny Beamer. He nudged her not to eat cookies, and he sat patiently through her yoga class.

“I try to instill positivity in his life and make him strive always to be great,” Amy says. “He’s been coming to Homeland since he was born. He has a volunteer badge and helps with bingo. When he hugs somebody, it’s nice to see the enjoyment on their face.”

The eye-opener that encouraged Melissa Harner to enroll was her sister-in-law’s battle with ovarian cancer.

“This will help me help her,” she says. She wrote her gratitude letter to that sister-in-law, expressing admiration for her courage.

With Dr. Hearn’s coaching, Melissa learned about maintaining a balanced diet and eating more fruits and vegetables. Melissa’s husky-German shepherd mix, Cocoa, motivates her to get moving twice daily, while she also discovered the joy of yoga.

“I would never have thought I would like it,’’ she says. “Now, it is something I plan to continue.’’

Melissa is proud that she improved her lifestyle. Her winnings will go toward the family’s Outer Banks vacation.

Both winners say Homeland’s commitment to its employees means better care in turn for residents and clients.

“When you’re feeling good about yourself, you instill those factors into others, as well,” Amy says. “You encourage your coworkers to want to do better and eat right. It puts you into a happier place to deal with stressors. If you’re in a better place for yourself, you’re able to be more functional for the care of our clients and residents.”

Homeland resident lives an eventful life in service to nation and veterans

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Susan and Bill Gaylor still enjoying Valentines Day through 59 years of marriage.

The helicopter engine-fault light came on, and Crew Chief Bill Gaylor directed the pilot to land. A vast field opened up below. But when the craft hit the ground, a frantic U.S. Park Ranger drove up, insisting that they couldn’t land there.

“The hell I won’t,” said Bill. And that was how he came to make an emergency landing at Gettysburg National Military Park, on the hallowed ground of Pickett’s charge.

Homeland resident Bill Gaylor has lived a colorful life, driven by a talent for mechanics and a love of country and his fellow veterans. It follows a line from the 38th parallel during the Korean War, to crewing helicopter flights, to ensuring that every Dauphin County veteran gets a funeral with military honors.

Bill and his wife, Susan, will celebrate 59 years of marriage and a loving family that includes three children, eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Susan, who does not live at Homeland, said she appreciates the care her husband receives.

“Homeland is well-kept,” says Susan. “Everything’s always clean. I feel he’s well taken care of.”

“I like the people,” adds Bill.

Born in Hazelton, Bill joined the Army after graduating from high school in 1954 and served in Korea, where he initially drove a truck and then chauffeured officials engaged in the peace talks at Panmunjom. One admiral treated him like a son.

“He wanted to go in style, so they gave him a new car,” Bill recalls. “I’m driving a new car, and I’m thinking, ‘I’m in heaven, driving a brand-new Chevy.’ I mean, I’m still a kid.”

One night, the MPs detained Bill for speeding when the admiral wasn’t in the back seat. When the admiral learned the next morning, he issued an ultimatum.

“If he isn’t out here within two minutes,” the admiral barked, “all of you are going to be in there, and he’s going to be out here laughing at you.”

After three years of Army service, Bill worked at a shop in Lebanon. He soon noticed a pretty young woman who often sat on the front porch of a nearby home. Susan was only 16 and he was 21 when they first met, but Bill won over her skeptical parents and they married after she graduated from high school.

After they married, the couple moved around as Bill worked for business machine companies. Then, at age 40, he took advantage of the military’s call for experienced personnel. He served two years in the Navy Reserve before transferring to the Army National Guard, which led to his going to Fort Indiantown Gap and learning to repair helicopters.

Progressing to in-flight crew chief, he was responsible for ensuring the helicopter was in working order and that loads were evenly distributed.

Bill’s helicopter missions included lowering air conditioning units onto the roof of the Pentagon and lifting lighthouses off eroding Great Lakes beaches.

The mission that ended with the Gettysburg emergency landing started as a test of air defenses for the president’s retreat at Camp David. Luckily, the helicopter was quickly repaired.

Bill had to retire from duty at 60, but that was not the end of his service. He recruited other veterans to form a volunteer honor guard that provides military ceremonies at about 100 funerals a year.

Members buy their own uniforms and give their time traveling throughout Dauphin County. Any donations go toward supplies such as matching overcoats. Though others took on Bill’s organizing duties recently, he is still considered commander.

“Families would come up to us after funerals and thank us so much,” says Bill. “We’d be hugged and kissed. They were so happy to see that somebody cared that their loved one served.”

Update:  Bill and Susan continue to visit using FaceTime during the COVID-19 pandemic. They are part of an expanding group of loved ones able to visit through FaceTime, Zoom, and Skype. These visits are coordinated by our Activities and Social Work teams and are making a difference!

Romance fills the air as Homeland crowns Valentine’s Day King and Queen

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Homeland Center’s 2020 Queen and King of Valentines – Colleen and Lester Grotzinger

The Valentine’s Day luncheon guests grew silent as Homeland Center Activities Director Aleisha Connors made her big announcement.

“And the 2020 Valentine’s Day King and Queen are . . .” she paused for dramatic effect, while the crowd performed drum rolls on the tables, “. . . Mr. and Mrs. Grotzinger!”

The luncheon guests cheered while staff placed crowns on Homeland residents Colleen and Lester Grotzinger. Colleen received a beautiful bouquet.

The Sweetheart Lunch is an annual tradition, allowing married couples who are residents and those residents whose spouses live outside of Homeland to share a romantic meal. Floral centerpieces and tablecloths adorned with hearts graced the tables in Homeland Center’s unique 50s-style diner. Over lunch choices catered from Olive Garden, guests exchanged memories and kisses.

The Grotzingers were chosen King and Queen by a vote of Homeland residents and staff. Among the couples attending the Sweetheart Lunch, they had the longest marriage.

“In July, it’s 69 years,” said Lester.

The two were high school sweethearts who met in their hometown of Renovo, in northcentral Pennsylvania. They married in 1951, just after he finished basic training for the Army. She was a teacher and he was a mechanical engineer.

What’s the secret to a long marriage?

“We just always got along,” said Colleen.

Connors organized the luncheon as a way to help residents from all Homeland units to recall treasured memories.

“They get to have a special meal together, just like they’ve always had,” she said.

Mickey (l) and Bob (r) Jostenski

Mickey Jostenski, visiting her husband Bob Jostenski, recalled their longstanding annual tradition of going to Ocean City, New Jersey, for Valentine’s Day and their anniversary in June.

“It was just relaxing,” Mickey said. “It was a way to get out of ‘Dodge.’”

The Jostenskis also shared their love for Homeland. Bob enjoys a full range of activities and recently attended the Pennsylvania Farm Show.

“We went bowling one time,” Bob said, pantomiming a bowling-ball throw. He also unleashes his inner artist through Homeland art classes, and he presented a gift to Mickey – a painting of two wine glasses clinking, with a heart rising between them inscribed, “I love you.”

Hearts and symbols of love were everywhere throughout Homeland. A poster in the elevators reminded everyone to “Let this day be filled with memories and reminders of how much you are loved.”

On the Gathering Room mantel, photographs of Homeland couples – from their wedding days to date — decorated large letters spelling out “LOVE.’’

At the diner, Michael Keane was enjoying the Sweetheart Lunch with his wife, Marian.

“This is very nice,” Michael said.

Like the Grotzingers, the Keanes were high school sweethearts, now married 64 years. Celebrating Valentine’s Day usually meant going out to dinner. Early in their relationship, they went to Hershey regularly to hear the big bands that came to town – and there were some very big names on the lineups.

“Tommy Dorsey,” Michael said. “Harry James. We didn’t appreciate what we had then.”

In the Valentine’s Day spirit, Michael came with a card for Marian. “Love of my life, friend of my heart, my wife,” it read. “A love like ours happens only once in a lifetime.”

He signed it, “All of my love always.”

Homeland quality assurance leader Jim Zorich sees care all around

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Jim Zorich out and about in his role for Quality Assurance at Homeland Center

Jim Zorich frequently heard from fellow physical therapists about the high expectations placed on Homeland Center staff. When he started working here, he understood why.

“If you truly care about the residents and everybody that’s involved with Homeland, the work is not hard, and you’re going to enjoy your job,” he says.

That distinction ripples into the lives of residents and their families.

“We focus on meeting the residents’ needs,’’ he says. “There are always activities going on. The nursing staff is always present.’’

Now, Jim Zorich is in a new phase of life. He recently went from physical therapist to Administrative Assistant of Quality Assurance, becoming responsible for upholding Homeland’s renowned quality of care.

Born and raised in the northwestern Pennsylvania town of Warren, early-on Jim saw a chance for a fulfilling career in physical therapy. He graduated from a seven-year doctoral program at Gannon University in Erie.

“Physical therapy is changing and evolving all the time,” he says. “There is constantly research being conducted for evidence-based therapy that will help ease pain and improve strength. There’s never a point where you’ve truly mastered or know it all.”

Jim’s innate passion for helping people became ingrained while in college after undergoing treatments and surgeries for a lifelong, hereditary condition associated with certain cancers.

“I know what it’s like to need help from other people,” Jim says. “After realizing how important life is and how little time we have on earth, I decided I wanted to make a difference.”

While still in college, Jim came to Harrisburg for an internship. There, he met his future wife, Allison, so he returned and found a job with Genesis, a physical therapy provider. Homeland was one of his clients; this led to an offer to work for Homeland HomeHealth, a community outreach program providing a full continuum of in-home, physician-ordered medical treatment.

After more than two years with Homeland HomeHealth, another opportunity came Jim’s way. With his knowledge of operations at many levels, was he interested in overseeing Homeland’s quality assurance?

He transitioned to his new role as Administrative Assistant, Quality Assurance Performance Improvement Educator in mid-2019. He assures strict adherence to quality procedures in nursing, dietary, housekeeping, and maintenance, helping sustain Homeland’s five-star Medicare quality designation.

Delivering quality care, Jim says, takes attention to detail and a listening ear: “Having a good rapport with everybody, you’re able to meet the needs of the residents.’’

He credits his success to his parents, Ronald and Voula Zorich. Both have long worked for Warren General Hospital; Voula as a medical technician and Ronald as imaging manager. It was his parents who urged him and supported him to become an Eagle Scout, even as he played baseball and took AP courses in high school.

“They taught me perseverance, to overcome your challenges in life,” he says. “Everybody encounters adversity. Everyone thinks they’re alone, but we’re all fighting our own battles. That mindset helped me get through my medical issues. It’s something you fight through, deal with when the time comes, and get back to reality.”

Jim enjoys hunting, fishing, camping, and weightlifting. He and his wife, Alli, are huge fans of Penn State, her alma mater, and hold football season tickets. Most years, Jim and Alli travel to bowl games, but they didn’t this year because they are embarking on a new venture – parenthood.

Homeland supports Jim and his colleagues through all of life’s journeys, he believes.

“Homeland makes employees feel important and gives them the confidence they need to do their jobs,” he says. “Happier staff leads to happier residents. I know that I’m part of something bigger. At Homeland, it’s not just a job. It’s a community.”

2020 Homeland Lottery Calendar Winners Announced

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Homeland Center 2020 Lottery CalenderA Homeland Center Lottery Calendar is truly a gift that keeps giving – to its owner as well as the community!

Not only will the $25 collected from each calendar benefit Homeland’s benevolent care fund, calendar owners have a chance to win $30 daily prizes and between $50 to $100 on 24 special days throughout the year.  Once you purchase a ticket, it remains active for the rest of the year – winning tickets get returned to the drawing.

Only 1,200 will be sold so don’t delay!  Homeland Center’s 2020 Lottery Calendar is the perfect gift for yourself or that special someone!

The final winners for the 2020 Homeland Center Lottery Calendar have been drawn; checks were mailed this year for a total of $11,635.00.  Be sure to participate in the 5th Annual Homeland Center Lottery Calendar.  Thank you to everyone for your support.

Recent Winners:

12/1/20 Heather Bittenbender
12/2/20 Lana & Alex Duke
12/3/20 Kim Miller
12/4/20 Rick Sleber
12/5/20 Lou Ann Julian
12/6/20 Barbara & Vic Morrison
12/7/20 Beth Schluter
12/8/20 Jan Beverage
12/9/20 Sharon Webb
12/10/20 April Evanitsky
12/11/20 Christian Fairfax
12/12/20 Jayne & Charles Wilson
12/13/20 Jackson Klick
12/14/20 Joseph Stine
12/15/20 Jennifer Stoner
12/16/20 Mary Warner
12/17/20 Connor Kettoman
12/18/20 Dolores Arndt
12/19/20 Todd Young
12/20/20 Samuel Levine
12/21/20 Deb & Sam Burd
12/22/20 Mamie Williams
12/23/20 Mel Weaver-Jason Brinkley
12/24/20 David & Alyce Duke
12/25/20 Sara Arndt
12/26/20 Georgia Wheeler
12/27/20 Bob Clemens
12/28/20 Christopher Hanshaw
12/29/20 Gale Schlechter
12/30/20 Denise Murray
12/31/20 Bob and Tara Frank

Order your 2020 Lottery Calendar, please go to https://homelandcalendar.fasttransact.net/ (sold out) or contact Ed Savage at esavage@homelandcenter.org or 717-221-7885.

A full list of 2020 Lottery Calendar winners is available here; 2019 Lottery Calendar winners, click here; or 2018 Lottery Calendar winners, click here.

Warm thanks to all of our supporters for helping us serve the Central Pennsylvania community for more than 150 years.

Decorating gingerbread houses: Homeland residents bond with Harrisburg students

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Homeland Center resident and Nativity School students decorating gingerbread houses

Homeland resident Janet Kepler and students from Nativity School recently collaborated on decorating gingerbread houses.

Growing up on a farm in Mississippi, Sarah Lewis’ family didn’t have money for anything extravagant like a gingerbread house, but there were always sweets for Christmas.

“In our basket, we always had a big stick of peppermint candy,” she remembers.

Homeland Center residents relived the joys of holidays past when students from The Nativity School of Harrisburg arrived to help them decorate gingerbread houses. Students from the nearby Harrisburg middle school have been coming to Homeland for many years, visiting with residents and joining them in bingo.

On this Tuesday afternoon, though, they adorned gingerbread houses with icing, gumdrops, candy canes, and M&Ms. Their creations will enter their school’s gingerbread house contest, competing among other works submitted by the school’s friends and donors.

The weekly visits to Homeland give students a chance “to give back,” said Nativity School Science Teacher Vernal Simms. The kids may be “hellions outside,” but they are always well-behaved at Homeland, he said.

“They’re giving back to people,” he said. “They like the residents and enjoy coming.”

The boys like visiting so much that two seventh graders – Ty’mir Wilkerson and Anthony Lester — asked to join the group of sixth graders coming to Homeland on this day, Vernal noted.

“It’s fun,” said Anthony. “It shows how you can come and help people.” He likes to help his mom on his own, too, cooking and cleaning around the house.
Ty’mir said he likes “giving back to the older folks for everything they did and everything they gave to us when we were young.”

The Nativity School originated when its founders saw a need for a prep school that could start city boys on a pathway to top high schools and colleges, Simms said. After students graduate from eighth grade, scholarships and tuition assistance is available for those attending private and parochial high schools around the region. Some students choose to attend competitive public high schools dedicated to science and technology or the arts.

Sixth grader Yasir Williams likes meeting the Homeland residents.

“They’re very nice,” he said. “They’re caring. They keep you occupied if you want to take your mind off something.”

Yasir’s classmate Jah’mere Belcher, who plays on The Nativity School’s flag football team, was visiting Homeland for the second time. The residents, he said, are “very nice, very caring, very easy to deal with.”

While residents and boys worked together to decorate gingerbread houses, a debate broke out about whether an animal cracker was a camel or not. The boys squeezed frosting from icing bags to put snow on roofs.

“The boys are enjoying it,” said resident Janet Kepler.

“They’re having a good time,” agreed resident Gloria Walters, a former member of Homeland’s Board of Managers. “That’s what counts.”

Gloria didn’t make gingerbread houses as a kid, but there was always “plenty to eat” during the holidays. She recalled family gatherings after she and her siblings were grown.

“The family would come home, and we’d make a big meal,” she said. “I think it made my mom happy that the kids all came home.”

The residents and boys formed bonds as they built their gingerbread houses. Resident Dolores Soles held the hand of Yasir Williams, saying, “I like this boy.” A new Homeland resident, Terry Hayes, called the visitors “a bunch of nice boys.”

“They do good work,” he said. “They’re very organized. “They work well together and have fun together.”

As the gingerbread house-decorating session ended, Terry left the Diner, Homeland’s unique 1950s-style eatery. The boys had put on their coats and were leaving behind him.

“Nice working with you,” he said to one of the boys.

“Bye, Mr. Terry,” the Nativity School student said. “Nice working with you, too.”