Maybe it brings to mind a patchwork of scrap paper made by a schoolkid in art class, but Phiroza Kapadia elevates the art form into seamless, peaceful works of art.
Recently, a resident who came to Homeland successfully rehabbed after a stroke and left for independent living. A couple of months later, flowers arrived for the rehab staff, with thanks
When Sharria Floyd moved to Harrisburg, she thought she would work for the same nursing home group where she had worked in Lancaster County, where she grew up. Then she
This article is re-posted with permission. We thank Gabrielle Elise Jimenez, hospice nurse, end-of-life doula, and conscious dying educator, for sharing her experiences at thehospiceheart.net blog. ________________________________ Several years ago, I was blessed to be at the bedside of an
Freda Fontaine and her four sons always enjoyed their summer picnics. What did the gang eat? “Everything we could!” she said, laughing. Homeland was awash in summertime memories with the revival of the annual picnic in the beautiful Chet Henry
As a career nurse, Elner Mann worked in hospitals, doctors’ offices, and as a night nurse for a trucking company, where she once saved the life of a stricken man. A 1956 newspaper story recounts her administering first aid to
A home-cooked meal made with thoughtful intentions can do more than fill one’s belly; it can provide empathy and compassion for a family going through difficult times. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit our region, many of us turned to Netflix
From her first day at Homeland Center in October 2017, Kelly Weldon “just dove right in, talking to everybody, remembering the things they like and don’t like.” Kelly spent the first 16 years of her nursing career working at an area retirement community. She left there to work at the
Typing handwritten recipes into a computer, even with a broken wrist. Playing table games with an elderly hospice patient who outfoxes his opponents every time. The spirit of volunteerism energizes Homeland Center and Homeland Hospice. Homeland Center’s 104 volunteers and Homeland Hospice’s 54 volunteers enjoyed an elegant dinner recognizing their
Employee Spotlight on Brian Medkeff-Rose Brian Medkeff-Rose, M.Div., M.A., Bereavement Counselor at Homeland Hospice, found his true calling 26 years ago while attending a spiritual retreat in Washington, D.C. “I was called to full-time ministry,” Brian says. “That became my career path and I never looked back.” Brian graduated from
As she watched her grandchildren happily opening the colored plastic Easter eggs, Homeland Center resident Jean White mused the adults get as big a kick out of the annual hunt as the kids. “I like it that Homeland encourages everyone to participate and includes families,’’ Jean said, taking in the
Eve James was a teenaged Homeland volunteer, helping residents with little things throughout the day. She quickly learned how much a small act of kindness could mean. “We had a resident who didn’t have a lot of family, and she loved to do crossword puzzles,” says Eve. “I went to
In the lunch meat business, there’s one thing you learn by doing. “I had to learn to slice,” said Homeland resident Donald Rudy. In those days, slicers didn’t have automatic stackers, so the operator had to slice and stack as he went along. “You’ve got to have good coordination, and
Domingo Mancuello told the Homeland Center audience that he would play three songs by a little-known songwriter names Isham Jones. “One is called ‘Sweet Man,’ and the other is called ‘Sugar,’” he said. “And I’m not going to tell you the name of the third song because you’re going to
Love was all around Homeland Center on Valentine’s Day. Visitors were greeted with a cheery “Happy Valentine’s Day” and the sight of red streamers, balloons, and flowers at every turn. In the Main Dining Room, a volunteer dressed in red handed out felt hearts to residents having lunch. Throughout the
Sometimes, high school sweethearts blossom into sweethearts for a lifetime. Colleen and Lester Grotzinger knew each other from around their high school in the northcentral Pennsylvania town of Renovo. At a New Year’s Eve Party, they started talking, which led to their first date. Today, the recent Homeland residents savor
In her sixth-grade yearbook, Jennifer Murray wrote that she hoped someday to be married with two children and have a job as a nurse. Today, she is married, with two children and a stepson, and her entire 18-year career has been in nursing. “Ever since I was a little girl,
