Anyone who has experienced the loss of a loved one knows the journey through grief doesn’t have a timeline. Memories can flood our minds at inopportune moments at the grocery
Kristine (Kris) Crockett, RN, CHPN, Director of Homeland Hospice and Homeland Palliative Care, approaches life with an open mind, always looking for opportunities to serve others. For more than 25
When residents learn that their nurse at Homeland is the daughter of Homeland Center Director of Nursing Jennifer Tate-DeFreitas, they say to Jennifer, “Your daughter is such a great nurse!”
More than 156 years ago, nine churches and 18 women came together to find a way to meet the growing humanitarian needs in our community after the Civil War. Their work made history and led to the creation of the
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.
As a college senior majoring in social work, Daniqwa Buckner took an internship in a hospital geriatric unit. She didn’t think the work would appeal to her. “When I got there, I loved it,” she says. “Working with the residents, hearing their life stories, and helping on a day-to-day basis
Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu once said, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” For many of us, taking that first step requires the support and guidance of others. Recently, the staff at Homeland Hospice helped Esther Mutua take that first step to secure medical clearance and support
At the end of February, Debbie Klinger, RN and Director of Homeland Hospice, retired following her nearly eight-year career with the organization. Homeland Hospice is a nonprofit hospice program that serves communities throughout Central Pennsylvania. During her tenure, Debbie has strived to embody the heart and soul of the hospice
Recently, Susan Horvath assisted a nurse with one of Homeland Center’s residents, watching as the caregiver handled her duties efficiently and compassionately. “I’m really impressed with our nursing staff here and the wonderful care they take of the residents,” says Susan, Homeland’s new Director of Skilled Admissions. “They treat the
By Laurie Murray, Volunteer Coordinator, Homeland Hospice National Random Acts of Kindness Day is the day to do something special for another person. Scientific evidence shows that doing kind acts for others as well as receiving or even witnessing kindness has a positive effect. Even the smallest act of kindness
Television commercials portray Valentine’s Day as a time of grand gestures with red roses, jewelry and expensive dinners as the manner to express one’s love. Pete and Pat Crosson of McVeytown always knew what really mattered in love and lived everyday like it was Valentine’s Day. The couple demonstrated their
Angels and reindeer. Snowflakes and snowmen. Santa and seven swans a-swimming. Homeland’s 2020 door decorating contest brought a host of beloved characters to the hallways during an unusual holiday season. In those couple of weeks in December, the people who keep Homeland running smoothly — and always focused on the
When Pennsylvania Farm Show milkshakes suddenly became available mid-year, Homeland Center’s Activities Department didn’t waste any time buying them as a special treat for residents. Activities coordinators Emma Lengyel and Diomaris Pumarol worked on decorating a cart they could use to distribute the milkshakes, complete with carnival music playing and
~ Written by Helen Haddick, Homeland Hospice Nurse When my work phone rings early on a day off, I tend to not wake up. When it rings twice, I start to get conscious. By the time it’s the third try and it’s my personal phone, I am wide awake. Before
Our home tells the story of our lives. It is the place where we find comfort among our memories and personal belongings. We also feel independent and free by living each day according to our own schedule, but with age comes fundamental changes in how to remain at home and
