What makes a house into a home? A friendly smile. A helpful hand. A family feel. A warm environment. Homeland is blessed with a Board of Managers dedicated to creating
“We love hearing stories from our patients about their lives,” Mary Williard and Mandy Webster say in unison. Their shared passion for their work with Homeland Hospice is obvious as
Jarrett Hoy didn’t know what to expect from his internship with Homeland Center’s dietary department, but he knew immediately he was in for a pleasant experience. “When I got here,
Angie Bucci of Shippensburg has a heart for hospice work. She enjoys connecting with her patients and their families to provide the most compassionate care possible. For more than 12 years she has worked as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)
When Aimee Schmoltze’s mother began receiving hospice care, she saw the impact of the program on their family. Over a 14-month period, Aimee, her mother and their family developed emotional bonds with the hospice staff who provided compassionate care during
Anniversaries remind us of meaningful moments in time that shaped our history and guided our future. Fifteen years ago, Homeland launched Homeland Hospice as an outreach program to provide compassionate care to patients on their end-of-life journey. The years have
In the early 2000s, Nancy VanKirk’s mother and stepfather lived at Homeland Center. From the attentive care they received, VanKirk knew that Homeland would be her home when the time came that she would need care. “It’s a very friendly,
Many doctoral dissertations collect dust on the shelf. Not Roxane Hearn’s. She is living out her research on “Exercise Adherence Among Active Working Women” and the use of apps to encourage movement. Now, skillfully using a wellness app, she is helping staff stay healthy so they can focus on the
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 incredibly kind and generous man. Because of him I was
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 Memorial Pavilion. The party celebrated two momentous events – the
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 reckless driver and his passenger. “I loved taking care
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 to pass the time. Neeti Goel and her children Anishka,
This year Cindy Zelko celebrates her 25th anniversary as an accountant in the Homeland finance office, but her ties to Homeland go far deeper. Cindy first worked for Homeland as a secretary during a gap year between high school and college. Recently, her father was a resident who made excellent
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 rediscovering the joys of walking with help from Homeland’s physical
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 acquaintances of her family. When visiting patients, Kerstie often hears
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) in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), works
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 work because nursing is hands-on. As nurses, we have to
