Homeland Center Board of Trustees welcomes new Chairman Donald E. Schell

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Donald E. Schell

Donald Schell, Morton Spector and Barry Ramper

Homeland Center has reached the highest levels of quality care and is now mining its core values to succeed in the greater challenge of maintaining quality, President and CEO Barry S. Ramper II said at the Board of Trustees’ recent annual meeting.

The meeting marked a transition, as Donald E. Schell succeeded Morton Spector as Chair of the Board of Trustees. Spector will continue serving on the board as Immediate Past Chair.

“Mort Spector embodies the best qualities of Homeland,” Ramper said following the Sept. 20 meeting. “He focuses on the task at hand while building a vision for the future. Mort’s contributions to Homeland are priceless, and fortunately, we can hold on to him and his wisdom for a while longer because he has graciously agreed to continue serving as Immediate Past Chair.”

Homeland’s growth path has continued for 151 years through the commitment of staff and supporters to offering the highest levels of comfort and care, Schell told the trustees, Board of Managers, and staff members present at the meeting.

Homeland’s reach and philosophy of care are radiating beyond its Harrisburg facility and into 14 central Pennsylvania counties through Homeland HomeCare, which helps seniors with daily tasks, and Homeland HomeHealth, which provides doctor-ordered medical assistance, said Schell. Both were founded in 2016 to meet the changing needs of the community.

Schell noted a litany of major accomplishments marking Homeland’s continued progress. They include:
• Renewed designation as a CMS Five-Star Skilled Nursing Care Facility, the highest Medicare citation recognizing premier health care services.
• Providing almost $3 million in charitable care for residents, bridging the gap between the actual cost of care and shrinking public reimbursements.
• Recognition from Harrisburg Magazine Readers’ Choice 2018 as Best Retirement/Independent Living facility for the seventh consecutive year.
• An Oct. 10 joint event with the Antique Automobile Club of America Museum, with proceeds benefitting Homeland Hospice, as prelude to its 10th anniversary in 2019.

“There are many reasons for Homeland’s success – the facilities, the programs, our donors, our culture, but most importantly, our staff,” Schell said. “It’s what happens on the inside of these facilities and in patients’ homes that makes the difference. Our caregivers in every capacity are truly our most important asset.” Asking staff present to stand and be recognized, he said, “You make our Board of Trustees and Board of Managers very proud.”

Ramper thanked members of the Board of Managers, Homeland’s unique, all-woman panel responsible for residents’ quality of life. They are, he said, “the very essence of the women who founded Homeland at the beginning, and what they represent.”

This year Homeland is also welcoming Alicelyn Sleber and Elizabeth Stoner to the Board of Managers.

Board of Managers Chair Barbara Nagle said they are making sure that Homeland remains a welcoming home for the residents through recently completed and ongoing renovations.

Upgrades are underway in the Personal Care area and Main Dining Room. Improvements were recently completed in the Sixth Street conference room and the Muench Street entrance, renamed the John and Barbara Arnold Lobby.

Homeland’s unique ability to sustain quality stands on staff’s full commitment to those who trust their lives to Homeland’s care, Ramper explained. In the nation’s second-most heavily regulated industry, behind homeland security, it is also contingent on following the directions instilled into every Homeland procedure, and on making wise decisions.

“The founders did an outstanding job preparing us for the moment we are in,” he said. “We have a responsibility to see that also prevails for those who follow us in the future.”

Homeland’s legacy is its guiding principle, said Ramper. Since joining Homeland in 2000, he has kept a portrait in his office of Eliza Haldeman, president of the board of prominent, civically minded women who founded a home for Civil War orphans and widows in 1867.

“I knew when I arrived that I wasn’t just taking a job,” he said. “It was a heritage that had to be maintained and a responsibility to put a full commitment toward Eliza Haldeman and all those who shared her vision.”

Homeland’s commitment to charitable, uncompensated care stands as a resource for the community. A nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization, Homeland relies on the generous support of our friends and neighbors to continue helping the less fortunate. To find out how you can make a difference, call 717-221-7900 or go to www.homelandcenter.org/giving

Homeland Resident Recalls Life of Family and Friends as She Nears 100th Birthday

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Sara Slothower with Janet and Tom

Sara Slothower (R) with daughter Janet and son Tom.

Strong bonds with family and friends are a common theme in Sara Slothower’s life. Loving and supportive parents shaped her childhood, and brought her to Harrisburg where she met her husband and raised her family. Friendships formed through her volunteer work ultimately brought her to Homeland Center where she has lived for the past three years. In October, Sara will celebrate her 100th birthday.

Sara grew up in Brownsville, Pennsylvania, a small town close to Pittsburgh. She was the eldest of four children and fondly remembers attending a small country school and playing baseball in her youth.

“I had wonderful parents,” Sara recalls. “We loved swimming and having picnics in the summer.”

Her fondest memories are her family’s annual visits to Kennywood, a popular amusement park.

“I rode the merry-go-round and ate ice cream all day,” Sara remembers. “It was the highlight of my summer.”

At 17, Sara moved to Harrisburg after her father took on a new job. She completed her senior year at John Harris High School, now known as Harrisburg High School. Sara remembers the challenges of adapting to an urban school after growing up in the country.

“My father often reminded me of the opportunities available at a larger school,” Sara adds. “I struggled to adjust until I met my husband Wilbur.”

Sara Slothower with Richard

Sara’s son Richard

Sara and Wilbur Slothower

After marrying, Sara and Wilbur moved to Paxtang where they raised their children Janet, Tom and Richard.

Like her childhood, Sara loved summers with her husband and children. The family owned a cottage in Stoney Creek. Wilbur would spend weekends at the cottage and return to work while Sara and her children enjoyed the outdoors.

When her children were in school, Sara went to work at Sear’s Service Center and then Feller’s Store in Harrisburg.

Sara’s love of people led her to volunteering at Dauphin Manor. For 15 years, she volunteered at the gift shop and helped plan birthday parties for the residents. Sara enjoyed selecting the perfect cakes and making gifts to ensure residents felt special on their birthday.

While volunteering, Sara met Barry Ramper II, now Homeland Center President and CEO. At the time, Barry was Administrator of Dauphin Manor. Sara and Barry became friends and stayed in touch over the years.

In 1997, Sara’s beloved Wilbur died. She lived independently for years, always making important life decisions with confidence. At 95, she decided to stop driving and at 97 chose to move to Homeland. Knowing Barry made the transition easy.

At Homeland, Sara enjoys playing bingo, pokeno and the occasional game of pinochle. Her most cherished time is spent with her daughter, Janet, and son, Tom. Her son Richard lives in Georgia, but makes regular calls to stay in touch. In addition to her children, Sara has four grandchildren and nine great grandchildren.

Sara SlothowerThis spring, Sara and Barry were featured on billboards for Homeland Center. For Mother’s Day, Tom drove his mother around Harrisburg to see the billboards. Sara proudly displays the photo used on the billboards in her room.

As she approaches her 100th birthday, Sara is grateful for a life filled with family and friends.

From her years of planning birthday parties for her children and the residents of Dauphin Manor, Sara knows what she wants for her 100th birthday celebration.

“Carrot cake with cream cheese icing and vanilla ice cream,” Sara says with a smile. “Cake with my family would be a perfect birthday.”

Homeland Center has a 150-year tradition of caring for residents like family. Today, 145 residents call it home. Located in Dauphin County, Homeland is a five-star skilled nursing and deficiency free personal care facility. Homeland offers a continuum of care that includes Personal Care, Skilled Care, Rehabilitation Services and Homeland at Home services including Hospice, HomeCare and HomeHealth.

Since opening its doors in 1867, Homeland has served thousands of individuals and families in the Central Pennsylvania community.

Crafts in Ellenberger: Residents with dementia take pride in their creations

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Taqiyya Muhammad with resident

Taqiyya Muhammad, artist and instructor, guiding another creative experience.

“Alright, Miss Betty,” says instructor Taqiyya Muhammad. “I think I need your help again.”

Miss Betty has mastered her job by now. She slides a glue stick down a strip of orange construction paper, concentrating on getting it just so. Taqiyya takes the glued end and adheres it to the inside of a roll of brown construction paper, and together, teacher and Homeland resident make a pumpkin.

This is the crafts class in Ellenberger Unit, which provides care for those with advancing memory impairment and is part of Homeland Center’s continuum of care. That also includes Personal Care, Skilled Care, Rehabilitation Services and Homeland at Home services of Hospice, HomeCare and HomeHealth. Ellenberger activities are tailored to the varying needs of the 24 residents, encouraging interaction, expression, and skill-building.

It’s all in a safe, supportive setting designed to promote continued independence and personalized care. The focal point is Ellenberger’s solarium designed specifically for the tactile and sensory needs of dementia patients. Residents feel the sun through the glass walls and listen to the gentle stream of the water feature, all amid tranquil greenery specifically chosen to be safe and non-poisonous in case of accidental ingestion.

In Ellenberger’s cheery dining room, Taqiyya Muhammad teaches two weekly classes, one in crafts and the other in painting. She enjoys teaching the residents, who are “youthful despite their years on earth. They’re witty.”

Through art, “they learn to complete a work and follow through,” says Taqiyya. “They work with their hands, which helps promote mobility. And they just have fun.”

Art therapy offers a range of benefits for people with dementia, studies show. It engages the brain, triggers memories, encourages social interaction, and enhances communications.

Taqiyya typically plumbs Pinterest for ideas, seeking projects that can be completed in an hour while offering stimulation and a sense of accomplishment. In painting class, residents might paint a flower or a flamingo, with help from Taqiyya, and then find it on the Ellenberger dining room’s art wall.

“I did that!” they’ll say. Ellenberger Activity Coordinator Aleisha Connors created the colorful gallery.

“Arts and crafts are wonderful,” Aleisha says. “I love how the residents are engaged. It’s a sensory activity for them.”

All the benefits of art therapy were on display in a recent afternoon crafts class. Taqiyya pulled orange, brown, and green construction paper from her supplies, preparing to direct residents in making pumpkins. First, they rolled squares of the brown paper into a base.

“Like a toilet paper roll,” says a resident named Bob.

“Like a toilet paper roll,” agrees Taqiyya.

Then the residents got to glue strips of the orange paper in half-circles, making their pumpkins come to life. While most did as instructed, gluing the strips first, Bob glued the inside of the tube in one fell swoop.

“Oh, Mr. Bob, that’s a good idea,” Taqiyya told him. “I like that system you have going on over there.” His years of working as an electrician were evident, as he methodically glued strip after strip to the tube, making the fullest pumpkin in the patch.

When a resident began singing the Guys and Dolls tune “A Bushel and a Peck,” the other residents joined in. They smiled as their pumpkins took shape. Aleisha asked a resident named Barb, “If we’re making a pumpkin, what season are we going to be in?”

“Fall,” Barb said. Barb was thoroughly enjoying the activity. She compared her pumpkin to Aleisha’s, which was having trouble staying upright.

“My pumpkin stands all by itself,” Barb said.

Taqiyya offers a different craft every week. Residents have painted rocks and played a bumblebees-vs.-ladybugs version of tic-tac-toe. They have created flowers from plastic bottles, and “painted” stained glass with markers on foil. They put their handprints in plaster molds. They once made cubes from sticky notes as holders for battery-operated candles they could put on their dressers.

“I try to liven it up a bit,” Taqiyya says. “Sometimes, we get sophisticated. Around Christmastime, we painted on coffee mugs and stuffed them with treats they’re allowed to have.”

When residents are new to Ellenberger, Taqiyya tries to encourage them to attend.

As the hour ended, each pumpkin got its final touch – a green stem. Barb looked at her creation with pride.

“Look how perfect it is,” she said.

Homeland Center CNA Rebeccah DeVan: Bringing a family feel to Ellenberger dementia unit

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Rebeccah DeVan

Lead CNA Rebeccah DeVan enjoying a moment in the Ellenberger conservatory.

Rebeccah DeVan’s grandfather, in declining health, called his home care aides “featherweights.”

“Honey,” he’d tell them. “I don’t want to get you fired, but go get my grandbaby.”

That was Rebeccah’s introduction to nursing, helping care for her grandparents in their later years. She realized she enjoyed caring for others. Employed by an insurance company, she needed to get out of the cubicle and “talk to some real people, and not just on the phone.” She trained through the Tri-County OIC Adult Learning Center in Harrisburg and took her first CNA job at Homeland.

“I can say I’ve been blessed to start at Homeland,” she says. “You definitely realize the quality of care here.”

Rebeccah is a lead CNA in Homeland Center’s 24-bed Ellenberger Unit, which treats those with advancing memory impairment. The unit is part of Homeland’s continuum of care that includes Personal Care, Skilled Care, Rehabilitation Services and Homeland at Home services including Hospice, HomeCare and HomeHealth.

Rebeccah learned her approach to nursing from one of her grandmothers, her “granny,” a registered nurse at the former Pennsylvania State Hospital. Granny’s words still ring in her ears: “You treat others how you want them to treat you. Remember that could be me there.”

As lead CNA, Rebeccah provides care for residents and also trains new CNAs in their duties and expectations.

Growing up in Harrisburg with five siblings, Rebeccah was part of a large, extended family, with grandparents, aunts, and uncles all within walking distance. Friday night fish fries were drop-in affairs featuring her mom’s homemade fresh flounder stuffed with crab, coleslaw on the side.

Her life continues to revolve around her family of five children and three grandchildren, including a newborn granddaughter. When her 5-year-old grandson plays football, she is “definitely one of the grannies running along the sidelines.”

She has another family at Homeland, not just colleagues but residents she deems grannies, aunts, and cousins. Deb Kivler, whose husband Herb is an Ellenberger “cousin,” was enjoying the Ellenberger solarium when Rebeccah came by. Deb says she appreciates the familial care Rebeccah provides.

“She is so thoughtful and takes such good care of everyone,” says Deb. “We just love her.”

In Ellenberger, Rebeccah sees her role as organizer and peacemaker. The other CNAs say she’s “always in Mom mode.”

“I want everyone to communicate and be respectful,” she says. “I’m big on respect. If we can’t respect each other, then it’s not going to be smooth. Respect will take you much further than trying to be nasty.”

Working in dementia care requires constant adaptation to ever-changing circumstances, and Rebeccah wouldn’t have it any other way.

She first worked at Homeland from 2003 to 2009. Then she worked in other settings for several years, but she had trouble convincing management to meet the high standards she knew from Homeland. That’s where she recognized that, even without such supports as adequate supplies for the nursing staff, she loved the work she was doing.

“My heart is with the dementia unit,” she says. “I can honestly say I enjoy it.”

Her path wound its way back to Homeland in December 2015.

“Everybody at Homeland cares, from the top on down,” she says. “I look at it as a family. Everyone plays a role in the family.”

Ellenberger is the right size for getting to know the residents, and all colleagues share her passion for caregiving.

“I like that everyone here is concerned about residents’ well-being,” Rebeccah says. “I like being hands-on, and I need to work in a place where everybody enjoys their job just as much as I do. You can feel the concern and the love.”

Original Ford Mustang designer being honored at October 10 event benefiting Homeland Hospice

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Gale Halderman

Gale Halderman, designer of the original 1965 Ford Mustang.

The designer of the original 1965 Ford Mustang will receive the AACA Museum, Inc. Automotive Heritage Award during the Museum’s annual gala fundraiser on October 10 benefiting Homeland Hospice and the AACA Museum, Inc.

Award recipient Gale Halderman began as a designer with Lincoln-Mercury in 1954 and four years later became head of Ford’s Advanced Studio. In addition to leading the team that created the first Mustang, during his eight years as studio chief, Halderman oversaw the development of the Lincoln Mark VII and VIII.

  • The AACA Museum, Inc.’s Night at the Museum Gala will be held from 5-10 p.m. on Wednesday, October 10 and includes a cocktail reception and full dinner. This year UPMC Pinnacle is the Premier Sponsor. PNC is this year’s presenting sponsor.
  • Tickets are $150 and proceeds will help support benevolent care provided by Homeland Hospice as well as the AACA Museum’s continuing preservation work.
  • Guests can meet in a special VIP setting for a $50 upgrade featuring a private exclusive reception with Gale Halderman. VIP Guests will also receive an autographed Mustang poster courtesy of Ford Motor Company.
  • To order tickets please visit the museum’s website www.AACAMuseum.org or call 717-566-7100.
  • Sponsorship and advertising opportunities are still available at a variety of levels for organizations or individuals.
  • For more information, please contact Jake Dunnigan at 717-566-7100 ext. 116 or JDunnigan@AACAMuseum.org

The AACA Museum, Inc. will hold a live auction with auctioneer Josh Katz of the Katz Family Foundation during the Gala, which also marks the 15th anniversary of the Museum. Many interesting auction items including artwork and special experiences – ones you cannot buy – will be up for bid.

During the event, visitors will have the opportunity to tour the museum’s featured exhibits including “Mustangs: Six Generations of America’s Favorite Pony Car,’’ with more than two dozen Mustangs. A trio of Thunderbirds courtesy of the International Thunderbird Club and the 1985 Modena Spyder aka the “Ferrari” from the movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.

About Homeland Hospice

Homeland Hospice serves 14 counties in Central Pennsylvania and is a community outreach of Homeland Center, a five-star skilled nursing, and personal care facility. Homeland Hospice is one of three Homeland at Home programs offering a complete continuum of care for any changing circumstances. To learn more, please visit www.HomelandatHome.org.

New RN Toni Crowder spreads love and cheer to residents

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Toni Crowder

Toni Crowder, RN and happy to be at Homeland.

Now that her time is her own again, Toni Crowder promises to resume bringing liver and onions to Homeland. She used to bring it for lunch once a month, a dish her kids hate but some colleagues love.

“I’ve kind of been slacking, because of school,” she says with a laugh.

For more than two years, Toni has pursued her registered nursing associate degree. She once thought it was beyond her reach, but through persistence and family tragedy, she persevered.

Toni’s studies, supported by Homeland’s tuition reimbursement program, have sharpened her nursing skills. The things she learned in school influence the daily care she provides.

Nursing has been Toni’s dream since age 7. She lived in Harrisburg with her parents and three siblings. Her mom ran a corner store; her father, retired from the Army, worked at New Cumberland Army Depot. She remembers seeing a neighbor she knew as Miss Portia get off the bus in her nurse’s uniform and knew she wanted to help others in the same way.

She joined Homeland as an LPN in 2011. When asked in her job interview why Homeland should hire her, she didn’t give the standard description of her skills and experience. She simply asked that they give her a chance. She was unemployed at the time, the mom of four kids, and she knew she could prove herself.

“My mom said, ‘If you want to be a nurse, you have to treat people like you want to be treated,’” Toni says. Toni brings that lesson to the residents of Homeland Center’s first-floor skilled nursing unit every day.

Toni Crowder with resident

Toni Crowder and a resident sharing some lighthearted moments.

“I give all the residents the same love, care, hugs, kisses,” she says. “Putting a smile on their faces – to me, that’s nursing.”

When Toni walked the stage to accept her diploma and receive her RN pin from Harrisburg Area Community College, her Homeland colleagues were there.

“I have a great set of co-workers,” she says. “I’m so thankful for them. We work together as a unit. They’re more than just my friends and co-workers. They’re my family.”

Her co-workers also were a source of strength when the unthinkable happened.

Toni’s son, Rahsan Crowder, a student at Lackawanna College in Scranton, was shot and killed in 2013 by a young man he barely knew. The support from Homeland, only two years into her time here, “was amazing.”

“They sent their condolences,” she says. “They called me on the phone. They texted me. They made sure I was okay. When I truly needed someone, they were there for me.” She feels so “truly blessed” to work at Homeland that she tells her supervisors, “I’m never quitting. You’re going to have to fire me. That’s the only way I’m leaving.”

In a way, her son’s death spurred her decision to return to school. She had thought school was behind her, but she realized she had to seize the opportunity.

“I dedicated these two-and-a-half years to him,” she says. “I want to keep his dream going.” He was an aspiring football coach, and a foundation she is starting in his memory will help other families, perhaps paying midget football registration fees, or providing holiday meals.

“He always wanted to give back to the community,” she says.

Outside of work, Toni loves spending time with her three adult daughters, plus nephews, nieces, and cousins. She cooks for family gatherings. She travels. She vacations in Myrtle Beach, where her mother came from – all with family.

She has worked at larger retirement communities, but she likes the personalization of Homeland.

“I still enjoy coming to the job seven years from the day I first came,” she says. “That’s how I know this was meant for me. God placed me here, and this was where I was supposed to be at this point in my life. I’m thankful for being able to work with a great group of people.”