Despite childhood deprivation, Lionel Gonzalez has a heart for giving and service. “I never had anything as a child,” Lionel said. “I never saw happiness. I don’t know how I
Slicked-back hair shining under the light, the singer started crooning the 1958 classic “Dream, Dream, Dream” by the Everly Brothers. “I was 10 years old when I heard that song,”
Homecooked meals often take us back to simpler times when we were young and our parents tended to our cold or soothed our bad day. Delicious ingredients made by someone
When Susan K. Getty was studying in Messiah College’s studio art program at age 44, younger students would ask if she was sad about wasting all those years before pursuing her passion. Her answer: “No.” “I wasn’t ready for this
Tara Roland and the Homeland Center’s housekeeping team often hear the same thing from the families of residents: “Thanks for taking care of my mom. You have my mom’s room looking like home.” As a housekeeping supervisor, Tara ensures the
It was a Friday the 13th, but red was the color of this lucky day in the Homeland Center Diner. “It’s good to be spending any time with my husband,” said Claire Zeiters as she enjoyed Homeland’s Valentine’s Day luncheon
What’s the secret to living to 100? “Good mother, good father,” said Helen Fridirici, who came to Homeland in 2025. “My mother was an angel. Nobody ever told her that, but she was just an angel on earth. Imagine that.”
Bygone days of elegance and refinement made a return at Homeland Center, as residents filled the main dining room for a spring tea. Kettle-shaped cards printed with flowers invited residents, and a pianist playing “Tea for Two” and other standards set the right tone, as did the tables adorned in
Antonia Gomez chose a career as a Certified Nursing Assistant because she loves helping people. “That’s my biggest thing,” she said. “Even outside of Homeland, I’m always helping friends, family, everybody.” In her 14 years at Homeland Center, Gomez formed friendships with residents and colleagues and experienced the many ways
Beneath the glowing chandeliers and soaring ceilings of the Mediterranean-style King Mansion, more than 65 members of the 1867 Society gathered together, forming a life-sized tableau of the values that inspired the formation of the precursor to Homeland Center 158 years ago: compassion and trust. As guests dined on fine hors d’oeuvres
As Shirley Jones wheels through the Homeland corridors, she greets the many friends she made in only four months. “I do have friendships here,” she said. “I like all the activities. Everything they have, I go to.” Shirley’s outgoing nature comes from growing up as the second child and eldest
Since she was a child, Chastity (Chaz) Anderson Spencer has found joy in helping others. Her kind heart and keen ability to put her compassion into action led Chaz to become a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) nearly 20 years ago. For the past 11 years, Chaz worked as a CNA
The Rev. Dr. Karin Pejack cherishes the shared history between Homeland and the historic church she shepherds – Zion Lutheran Church, one of Homeland’s founders. “We’ve been impressed with the care residents receive at Homeland and the caring community,” Pejack said. “You’re so lucky to have a chapel and chaplains.
Since joining Homeland’s Board of Managers in October 2024, Sandee O’Hara has been deeply impressed by the power that 18 committed women can generate. “The board’s focus is on how to make Homeland truly home,” she said. “I’ve heard that so many times since I started. These women are caring,
Joyce Muniz was a little girl going through a magazine when her mother explained that the picture of a woman in a white dress and cap was of a nurse. “I said, ‘I’m going to be a nurse when I grow up,’” Muniz recalled. “Of course, my mother just looked
Sharria Floyd has changed her daily outfits from scrubs to business casual, but she still feels like the caregiver she has always been. “It doesn’t make me feel any less or more confident,” said Floyd, the former Homeland CNA who stepped into the administrative assistant role for Homeland CEO Barry
Arranging end-of-life care for a loved one following a hospital discharge is often confusing, filled with fear, and sometimes urgency. In difficult times like these, Buffie Finney, Nurse Liaison for Homeland Hospice, is there to help patients and families. For nearly 30 years, Buffie has worked in the nursing profession
