A hallmark of a successful organization is its ability to evolve to meet the needs of its community. For more than 156 years, Homeland Center has structured its programming to
Homeland Hospice, a nonprofit outreach program of Homeland Center in Harrisburg, will host its 10th annual 5K and Memory Walk on Saturday, Sept. 14, at 8:30 a.m. at the Rossmoyne
Even as her job gets busier and she takes on more responsibilities, Latashia Simmons makes sure to spend time with Homeland Center’s residents. “When I’m going around and seeing who
Homeland Center and Homeland at Home, which provides a full continuum of services to care for residents, patients and clients, has earned deficiency-free survey results across all five of its care services based on routine annual examination by the Pennsylvania
Home is more than where the heart is. It is the place we find comfort, peace and independence. For aging and homebound individuals, home is often the best and most preferred place to be when receiving care. In 2016, Homeland
When Jennifer Murray gives tours to potential personal care residents and their families, she shares Homeland Center’s amazing 156-year history of devotion to the community. “We’re not going anywhere,” she said. “A lot of times, people like our homey feel.
Margo Konetski didn’t initially think of herself as an artist, but as a child, “everything had doodles on it.” Teachers would chide her for being inattentive, but now, she knows doodlers absorb learning better. “The creativity part of our brains,”
It has been said that life comes full circle. For Dann Caldwell, chaplain for Homeland Center and Homeland Hospice, the loop he began as an intern with Christian Churches United of the Tri-County Area (CCU) has closed with his recent appointment to serve as president of the organization’s board of
Meet Carol and Clyde Cressler After 57 years of marriage, Carol and Clyde Cressler of Mechanicsburg know how to bring out the best in one another. They laugh at each other’s jokes, share similar passions and take on life’s challenges as a team. When Clyde was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease
As a hospice medical assistant, Tommi Paynter saw the best in people. She recalls a family in the all-white town of Gloucester, New Jersey, where most residents “would not appreciate a Black person coming into their town.” “This woman and her family were so sweet,” she says. “Her daughter, she
Even at her busiest, Bethany Traxler intuitively knows when it’s time to slow down and give a Homeland resident a listening ear. “It’s natural to readjust yourself at that moment,” says the Homeland Center Assistant Director of Activities. “You can be so caught up in the hustle and bustle, but
What is that clinking sound? LaToya Howard is testing a Homeland visitor for COVID-19. She directs the visitor to a screening room to have their temperature taken and where facemasks and shields are available. Then comes that clinking sound. “That is the timer,” LaToya explains. “When I test, we set
A remarkable life is not given. It is earned through service above oneself and demonstrations of courage and compassion in extraordinary times. Anna Weinfurter’s journey began in Montana and took her across the country while serving in the United States Navy during World War II. While her uniform has been
Caroline Witmer brings a wealth of memories to Homeland, with stories from years of adventure, service to the country, and family connections to Milton Hershey and Dwight Eisenhower. The skilled care resident enjoys life at Homeland, where she loves the food and the elegance of the facility. Born and raised
Linda Stoner had an idea. She had taken a techno-leap of faith by hosting a Zoom call craft-making session with friends, and she wondered if she could do the same for Homeland Center’s residents. With the staff’s cooperation, she made the monthly sessions happen. “There were four ladies and one
Running a facility as multifaceted as Homeland is a nonstop, all-year-around job. Snow removal and grass cutting. HVAC repairs and maintenance. Cleaning water coolers. Hanging holiday decorations. Inspecting emergency generators. “The water temperatures are probably the most important in our daily checks,” says Maintenance Director Steve Ramper. “Water temperatures can’t
By Barbara Goll, BS, Community Education Liaison/Nutritionist The COVID-19 pandemic brought pain, hardship and profound changes in the way we socialize and engage with each other. It made us feel like Bill Murray in the popular 90s movie Groundhog Day, in which his character lives the same day over and
