The smell of warm chocolate chip cookies coming out of the oven or lilacs blooming in mid-spring signifying summer is on its way. Scents can trigger a flood of memories
When Tammy Wiser announced that she was leaving her previous employer to work at Homeland Center, her company’s HR director responded surprisingly. “I can’t even ask you to try to
Sipping a Coke float delivered by a kind Homeland Center aide, Betty Hungerford shared why life is better in a top-rated continuing care retirement community. “When you reach a certain
When she was in high school, Emma Lengyel was passionate about making people laugh. “I was in every play and musical,” she said. “I also enjoyed writing and art.” Today, Emma still makes people laugh, bringing a note of cheer
Bernice Shaffer once lived in a nursing home where the food was dreadful. Then she came to Homeland Center, where she says her first meal and all the others that followed were wonderful. “Chicken and waffles,” she remembers. “I like
Though Todd Carver grew up watching his father serve as a pastor in Hagerstown, Maryland, he wasn’t sure whether he wanted to take a similar path. When his parents offered to pay for one year of Bible college, he took
Charlie Hubbard was blessed with wood crafting and photography talents and an eye for intrigue and fascinating designs. “It’s a lot of fun,” he said of his intricate woodcuts now hanging in the Homeland Florida Room gallery. “It makes just
From noon to 1:30 p.m. every Wednesday between June 12 and July 24, each of Homeland Center’s six care areas will have their own picnic in the Chet Henry Memorial Pavilion, located in the lush Fifth Street gardens. Organized by the staff and Board of Managers members, the picnics are
Music has been a constant note through the lives of Ray and Dann Caldwell. Ray is a resident of Homeland Center, and his son, Dann, is Homeland Hospice chaplain with an expanding array of responsibilities overseeing the spiritual wellness of Homeland residents. Father and son love to share their love
Beth Stoner loves to paint flowers, and though her artwork isn’t on display at Homeland, her artistry is on view in another sense. At the entrances to Homeland are colorful planters that Beth helped create. Brimming with flowers, they extend a cheery welcome to residents and visitors alike. Homeland has
At age 20, Lillian Rappaport’s parents hadn’t met yet. Both were living poor but normal lives in the Warsaw-area Jewish villages called shtetls. It all changed in September 1939 when the Nazis invaded Poland, the start of the Second World War. “Neighbor turned against neighbor,” Holocaust educator Rappaport told Homeland
The volunteers of Homeland share more than their time. They also share life lessons in generosity, giving, and selflessness. “For you to take the time you take to serve the best interest of our patients, residents, and clients – sincerely, I thank you from the bottom of my heart,” Homeland
“Creating our collection of farmhouse style beers is an exercise in patience,“ says Matt Miller, co-owner of Mellow Mink Brewing in Mechanicsburg. “We combine the ingredients in barrels and give beer time to develop its unique characteristics. The process can’t be rushed.” The journey of grief, like the process of
Having a background in children and youth spiritual services, Andrew Wenger, did not know what to expect when he walked into his Homeland Hospice internship in September 2018. Andrew has spent the last seven months shadowing Dann Caldwell and Mark Harris. They taught him to listen more than speak, based
Step into the Homeland Center art gallery, and the outdoors await. Feel the breeze from the river. Refresh in the coolness of a stone stable. Breathe in the perfume of the lilies. The spring 2019 exhibit from guest artist Julie Riker features works capturing the fleeting nature of nature herself.
Over the years, Homeland has seen many residents who are husband and wife. There have been siblings, too. But a mother and son? That is a first since Peggy and Russell Keiser have made Homeland their happy home. Peggy and Rusty, as he’s known to all, arrived in late 2018.
Residents, staff, and family often say the same thing about Homeland Center: “Everyone here is like family.” Homeland cultivates that atmosphere through its comfortable environment, high standards, and respect for every individual. But there’s one thing more: Homeland welcomes actual family relationships on staff. Generations of mothers, fathers, children, aunts,
