Resident Spotlight: Ellen Warren devotes her life to community service

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Editor’s note: We are saddened to report that Ellen passed away unexpectedly and quietly on Saturday, Jan. 28. Our sincere sympathy to her husband, Bill, and her family.

Ellen Warren min

Ellen Warren

Ellen Warren devotes her life to community service!

When she was in first grade, Ellen Warren would sneak into the art room while her classmates went to recess. Ostensibly, she was helping clean the chalkboard erasers, but the teacher knew she just wanted to draw.

That introduction to art launched a lifetime of devotion to artistic endeavors and to supporting the performing and visual arts wherever she lived.

“I believe the soul needs creativity,” says Warren, a Homeland Center resident since late 2016. “The spirit needs creativity.”

Warren was born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania and grew up in nearby Scranton. Her father was a mining and metallurgical engineer. Her mother was a homemaker and community volunteer for “anything and everything” – American Red Cross, Girl Scouts, a local performing arts center, a health care facility.

The mother’s community spirit continued in the daughter. In Scranton, Warren was involved with the YWCA and the Everhart Museum. In neighboring Waverly, she chaired the F. Lamott Belin Arts Scholarship committee, fielding applications from artists worldwide seeking the prestigious award that helps them pursue their dreams.

“Whatever your child wants to do that is creative, encourage them,” she believes. “If it’s dance, if it’s violin, if they play the tuba, encourage them,” she says.

She moved to Harrisburg in 1988, when her husband, Bill Warren, joined the administration of his Scranton law partner, Gov. Robert P. Casey, Jr. In the capital city, she dove into a thriving arts scene. She has served as board president for Theatre Harrisburg and the Harrisburg Symphony Society, on the boards of Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra and Harrisburg Art Association, and was very supportive of the Historical Society of Dauphin County.

Warren is most proud of her fundraising and “friend-raising” skills that have helped sustain the arts and community causes. With the Harrisburg Symphony Society, she co-chaired its first – and to date, most financially successful — Symphony Showcase, where local decorators display their works in a mansion, room by room.

Warren also had a long career in commercial interior decorating, helping businesses craft efficient workspaces. It started when she worked at Bloomingdale’s flagship store in New York City, where she haunted the renowned design and furniture floor. In her career, she has worked with the Palumbo Group in Scranton, as director of interior design for Harrisburg-area Benatec Associates, and with her own business.

All the while, Warren pursued her artistic talents, loving the immediacy of pencil on paper, or producing landscapes and seascapes in oil or acrylics.

“Three hours can go by on one painting, and I’ve no idea that time has passed,” she says. “I think most painters are like that.”

At Homeland, Warren enjoys the quarterly art exhibits. Homeland is another of her causes, with past service on the Homeland Board of Managers.

“It’s very friendly,” she says. “The aides and the nurses care about people on an individual basis.”

The Warrens have two grown children and “three beautiful granddaughters,” ages 12 through 25.

“They make me happy,” she says. “They tell me they love me all the time.”

Warren and her husband decided long ago to do most of their charitable giving locally, to help strengthen community bonds. As she learned from her mother, volunteering is “perfectly normal and acceptable. It’s part of who you should want to be in your community.”

 

 

 

Resident Spotlight: Porcelain maker and seamstress Kathryn Steigler found life in America

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Porcelain maker and seamstress found life in America!

kathryn steigler

Kathryn Steigler reminisces about working in a Bavarian porcelain factory after World War II.

The German province of Bavaria is home to one of the world’s rare deposits of kaolin, the clay mineral capable of withstanding the intense firing needed to produce delicate, translucent china. In the unsettled days after World War II, Homeland Center resident Kathryn Steigler worked in a Bavarian porcelain factory, and like Bavaria’s durable clay, emerged from hardship to find her life in America.

Kathryn Schlafman Steigler was born in Hungary in 1925, in a village of ethnic Germans. Her family worked a small subsistence farm, raising their own food and livestock. Her brother tended the horses. She learned from her mother and grandmother to bake bread every day and to weave fabric on a loom and sew it into clothing. Any extra crops were sold to a neighbor’s shop.

“Mom and dad, they worked so hard, and the young ones had to help, too,” she recalls.

kathryn steigler 1960

Kathryn Steigler (center, front) started working at a Steelton garment factory and, with her seamstress skills, became “forelady.”

Porcelain maker and seamstress found life in America!

World War II upended the family’s way of life. Kathryn’s father died during the war. Her brother vanished. The Communists who regained control of post-war Hungary collectivized the nation’s small farms and expelled ethnic Germans, even though they hadn’t supported the Nazis or the German war effort. Their land confiscated, Kathryn and her mother trekked through East Germany and crossed into West Germany. Settling in northern Bavaria, they lived in old barracks among thousands of other displaced persons hoping to reach America.

In the same region where the Goebel factory was producing its famous Hummel figurines — including those in the collection adorning Homeland’s gathering room – Kathryn found work in a porcelain factory. She worked with the clay mixture that would become plates and cups for diners. Workers would make the mix, put it in a mold, and let it sit until it dried. After the mold was cracked to release the piece for firing, the mold had to be rubbed clean for its next use.

“That’s the way I made my life,” she says. “It wasn’t easy. You had to work for something.”

In Bavaria, Kathryn met her future husband, Alois Steigler, a fellow Hungarian refugee of German heritage.

When they immigrated to America, the sponsor they expected to meet in New York never showed up. Instead of going to Ohio, as originally planned, they went to Steelton, PA, home of Steigler’s uncle.

kathryn steigler dress factory 1960

Kathryn Steigler (underlined, front) and the women she oversaw at Deborah Dress Co., Steelton, posed for a group photo on a winter day in 1960.

In Steelton, the Steiglers joined an immigrant community. Kathryn, raised in a German-speaking village and taught Hungarian in school, learned to speak English. Alois worked in the Bethlehem Steel plant for 30 years before retiring. She worked for 30 years in a factory producing high-end designer clothing for sale in New York. Using her seamstress skills, she became the factory “forelady,” making patterns and teaching the other workers – all women – to turn them into garments.

“I had to teach different girls how to sew a sleeve together, and how to put it on the machine,” she says.

The Steiglers had two sons, one still in the Harrisburg area and another now in Boston. Her two grandsons live in New York City and Boston. She is a member of Trinity Lutheran Church, Steelton.

In all her years, Steigler says she would “keep working wherever I can find it.”

“I know how to work a little bit,” she says. “That’s how I got along, one after another. That’s life. One after another.”

Homeland residents host friends and family for a holiday party

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the zembo string band played in the chapel

The Zembo String Band entertained residents and guests in Homeland’s Chapel.

On a chilly night in December, the atmosphere inside Homeland Center was warm and loving. Every space filled with residents and invited guests exchanging good wishes and laughter. Live music filled three dining rooms and the chapel. Tables groaned with food, all of it homemade by Homeland staff. Wreaths hung on the walls, and Christmas trees brightened the rooms.

In the annals of holiday open houses, Homeland’s yearly holiday party, organized by the Board of Managers, is unique. Up and down every hall, every gathering space was adapted to accommodate as many as 500 guests. The tradition dates to 1978, giving residents the chance to send invitations and host family and friends in sharing the holiday spirit.

“It’s something they can provide because that’s taken away when they come to a nursing home. They’re hosting their families.”

quinn bellows with her grandmother nancy snavely

Quinn Bellows, left, enjoye the music with her grandmother, Nancy Snavely. Nancy was one of the Homeland staffers who originated the holiday party in 1978.

Resident Helen Schroll donned an elf hat for the party. Her daughter, Pat Fortenbaugh, proclaimed the party “wonderful.” Helen’s son-in-law, Richard Fortenbaugh appreciated the festivities flowing from one space to another.

“It’s a floating party,” he said.

Nancy Norton came at the invitation of her old friend Shirlee Fisher,

a Homeland resident for 14 years.

shirlee fisher and nancy norton

Residents and guests getting into the spirit of the season with Santa hats and reindeer antlers included Shirlee Fisher, left, and her friend Nancy Norton.

“This is so nice they do this,” Norton said. “She and I have been friends for 35 years. I love the aides in here, and the residents are so nice.

In the second-floor solarium, resident Ray Caldwell proclaimed the party “a 100 percent success.”

“P.S.,” he added, “the food is delicious.”

betty hungerford with isabel smith

Homeland Development Director Betty Hungerford chats with Homeland resident, and revered former administrator, Isabel Smith.

Caldwell’s son, Dann Caldwell, is the chaplain for Homeland Hospice. He attended the party with his wife, Beth, and their son, Peter.

“Everybody comes out,” said Dann Caldwell. “It’s wonderful. I get to wear my chaplain and spiritual counselor hat, but I take it off and put on my family member hat.”

As music floated through the hallways, not all of it was Christmas-themed. Downstairs in the chapel, the Zembo String Band sprinkled their holiday selections with “Basin Street Blues” and “When Irish Eyes are Smiling.” In the main dining room, when Poconos-based music group Kat and Tom sang “Just the Way You Look Tonight,” guest Eric Jespersen led his mother, resident Flora Jespersen, to the floor for a dance. Kat and Tom’s next number: “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer.”

In Homeland’s 50s-style diner, resident Geoff Davenport said he likes all parties. The food was good, he said, and he should know. His family owned many area restaurants, including the fondly remember Davenport’s, and he was a produce buyer for Marriott hotels.

“It’s nice to get a piece of medium-rare meat,” he said.

sondra and wayne fertig with doris coyne

From left, Sondra and Wayne Fertig were among the invited guests of resident Doris Coyne.

In the sunroom, resident Doris Coyne hosted six friends from her church. Her friend Wayne Fertig gave the party two

thumbs up. Doris had brought the group to the sunroom for a chance to catch up, but she loved the main dining room decorated with Christmas tree, stockings, and centerpieces of evergreens, red carnations, and white mums.

“The dining room looks beautiful,” she said.

In the dining room, resident Isabel Smith hosted her family, including her great-granddaughter Quinn. Smith is a former Homeland administrator credited with reviving the institution in the 1970s. Her daughter, Nancy Snavely, had been her mother’s assistant, and she recalled the party’s origins. It was 1978 when she and then-Activities Director Ginny Capp felt sad that residents could no longer host holiday parties, as they had in their homes.

A tradition was born. At that first party, held in what is now the gathering room, guests were served the food family-style.

“It was so crowded that people used to have to walk across the tables to get around, but it was wonderful,” Snavely said.

Sitting beside her daughter, Isabel Smith applauded the music. She remembered giving the green light to that first holiday party.

“I love this home,” she said. “This is a time for the people in Homeland to know that they’re family. That’s when home feels like a home.”

Employee Spotlight: Nurse manager Trenisha Gray helps make Homeland a home

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Nurse Manager Trenisha Gray helps make Homeland a home!

Trenisha Gray talks with a resident in skilled care at Homeland Center.

She earned her associate’s degree from Harrisburg Area Community College. She also has credits from Millersville University, with plans to re-enroll soon and finish her bachelor’s degree. In the rapidly changing world of nursing, she says she “would love to advance my knowledge.”

The best part of nursing is that “every day is totally different.”

“You learn something new every day,” she says, adding for emphasis, “Every day.” She had just learned from one patient’s experience about the testing for and causes of decreased blood flow. She even enjoys learning the extensive regulations involved in long-term care, and getting acquainted with Homeland’s procedures and policies.

Since joining Homeland, Gray has worked on sustaining the teams devoted to resident care. Homeland is special because “they make everyone feel like family. The residents and their families are incorporated in everything that we do.”

That interaction with family helps staff get to know residents better, so they can craft individualized care plans for personalized treatment and help every resident “be more comfortable and at home.”

Outside the office, Gray loves to shop, travel, and explore other cultures. Most of her close-knit family remains in Harrisburg. She talks every day with her mom and grandmom, who have taught her independence and “how to be a loving, caring woman, and always wanting to grow and do better for myself.”

As she goes about her “very, very hectic” days and helps provide for 36 people, she hopes that residents receive “the best care possible. We try to maintain their independence and allow them to enjoy these years of life. That’s always my goal.”

Securing legacies: Presenter shares planning guide with Homeland residents and families

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What frustrates executors of estates the most? That they can’t find the documents and information essential to wrapping up the affairs of someone who has passed away, financial planning executive Karen Drancik told Homeland residents and family members recently.

Karen Drancik offers a dynamic presentation alerting Homeland residents and their families of the need for documenting all the information necessary in case of a loved one’s death or incapacitation.

“We love our family, and we don’t want our passing or incapacity to become any more traumatic to our family members by leaving a mess behind,” said Drancik during a recent presentation entitled “Family Love Letter: A Gift of Time, Love and Clarity.

Drancik, vice president and senior consultant of Neuberger Berman Advisor Institute, walked attendees through a detailed planning guide called “Family Love Letter.”

Everyone starts generating documents from the day we’re born, Drancik said. Families must share that information before death or incapacitation to help survivors “navigate the paper trail.”

“We love our family, and we don’t want our passing or incapacity to become any more traumatic to our family members by leaving a mess behind,” she said.

As she reviewed the 38-page workbook’s five sections, Drancik shared tips – many drawn from her own professional and family experience – on estate planning:

  • At a “bare minimum,” have a will. Without one, the state of Pennsylvania decides where property will go, “and you might not like how they divvy it up,” said Drancik.
  • Update life insurance beneficiaries as circumstances change.
  • To thwart identify theft, hospitals might require identifying documents such as a birth certificate before providing a copy of the death certificate.
  • Be specific about distributing personal property and sentimental items, such as jewelry, artwork, and antiques. “You might think your children are perfect angels, but when you’re gone, the gloves are coming off,” Drancik said. Sometimes, the simple act of explaining why a particular family member gets a treasured heirloom can smooth ruffled feathers.
  • Write down all usernames and passwords for accounts, computers, phones, and other electronic devices. Keep the list in a locked, secure place.
  • Take time for the “ethical will” – a description of the times in which you lived and the values you lived by, “to pass on to future generations.”

Kathy Hill, of Hershey, attended the presentation with her mom, Homeland resident Flora Jespersen. Her parents moved to Homeland from their home about a year ago, and the presentation helped her quest to “learn everything about what I can do to help my parents because we’re going places we haven’t gone before.”

“There’s no primer on this,” Hill said. “Every little bit helps.”

Resident Isabel Smith, the former Homeland Administrator who helped pull Homeland out financial straits in the 1970s, appreciated the information. “We should have had this all our lives,” she told Drancik.

All attendees received a free copy of the “Family Love Letter” workbook. Drancik’s appearance was sponsored by Joy Dougherty, CFRE, and Neuberger Berman. Attorney Vicky Ann Trimmer, of Daley Zucker Meilton & Miner, LLC, helped answer Pennsylvania-specific legal questions.

Jan Gray Beers attended with her parents, new Homeland residents Bob and Marion Gray. The passing of a loved one “i

Homeland achieves perfect rating in U.S News’ Best Nursing Homes 2016 report

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HARRISBURG, PA (November 16, 2016) – Homeland Center received a perfect 5.0 score in U.S News and World Report’s Best Nursing Homes 2016-17 released today and available at https://health.usnews.com/best-nursing-homes/area/pa/homeland-center-395475

According to U.S. News, only 13 percent of the more than 15,000 nursing homes evaluated nationwide achieved “Best” status by earning a rating of at least 4.5.

“We are honored to receive this recognition from U.S. News & World Report, which is a testament to our dedicated and caring staff,’’ said Barry S. Ramper II, Homeland’s president and CEO. “Next year Homeland will celebrate its 150th anniversary, and this recognition underscores the commitment we have to provide the highest quality care to our community.’’

Homeland is one of the few skilled nursing care facilities in the Central Pennsylvania region to earn Medicare’s top Five-Star rating repeatedly. In judging facilities, U.S. News said it looks at Medicare’s data as part of its overall assessment. More information about U.S. News’ process is available here: https://www.usnews.com/info/blogs/press-room/articles/2016-11-16/us-news-names-best-nursing-homes-for-201617

In keeping with its goal to meet the community’s needs, Homeland this year unveiled two new services to help seniors remain in their home while receiving the quality care they need. Homeland HomeCare will assist seniors with daily tasks such as meal preparation and transportation, while Homeland HomeHealth will provide doctor-ordered medical assistance, ranging from providing intravenous therapy and other medications to physical therapy.

Homeland Hospice, which serves 13 counties, last year became the only service in central Pennsylvania to offer a dedicated pediatric hospice program.

Earlier this year, a poll of Harrisburg Magazine’s more than 50,000 readers resulted in Homeland Center receiving the Readers’ Choice Award for Best Long-Term Care Facility for the fifth straight year.

“We will never waver in our full service commitment to those who have entrusted their lives to us,” Ramper said. “Our mission has changed since we were founded to care for those left widowed and orphaned following the Civil War, but our commitment to providing quality care has never wavered.’’