After leaving for six years to take the top spot at the Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg, Jennifer Ross said she is happy to be back at Homeland Center and
Earl Soliday kicks a foot in lively fashion. “I couldn’t even move my leg before, but look at that now,” he said. “I feel good. They’re treating me well in
Babs Phillips is a longtime Board of Managers member who has seen Homeland grow to meet the community’s needs while maintaining its status as a premier care facility. “It’s the
Charles Wilson took a career with the former Allegheny Airlines and turned it into a lifetime of travel that has taken him to 23 countries. Until quite recently, he was a resident of Homeland skilled care, joking with staff and
Employee Spotlight: Meet Kerstie Keebaugh Kerstie Keebaugh, RN Case Manager for Homeland HomeHealth, likes life in a small town. Growing up and living in Middletown, Kerstie has a close network of family and friends as well as extended links to
Homeland Hospice recently earned its fourth star out of a five-star ranking system for its quality of care for veterans through the national We Honor Veterans program. We Honor Veterans, created by the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO)
If you need to find Homeland Director of Nursing Jennifer Tate-Defreitas, her desk isn’t always the place to look. “I still work the floor, and I still work every shift,” she says. “It’s important as a director to know the
Korea. Honolulu. Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Yuma, Arizona. El Centro, California. Arlington, Virginia. Carlisle. Six elementary schools. Three high schools. Homeland resident Polly Myers saw the USA and beyond, even before she graduated from high school. Her father, a West Point graduate, was a career Army engineer whose assignments took the
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
