Homeland Center unveils two new services to care for seniors at home to address underserved need throughout central PA region

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Betty Hungerford, Director of Development

Homeland Center

Office: 717-221-7727, Cell: 717-580-9139

Email:bhungerford@homelandcenter.org

1901 N. 5th Street, Harrisburg, PA 17102

 

 

Homeland Center unveils two new services to care for seniors at home to address underserved need throughout central PA region

Expanded services come as Homeland celebrates 150 years of caring for the Harrisburg area

 

HARRISBURG, PA (June 30, 2016) – With 29 percent of Pennsylvania’s population — 4 million people – expected to be 60 or older by 2030, Homeland Center today announced two new services to help seniors remain in their homes while receiving the quality care they need.

Homeland HomeCare will assist seniors with daily tasks such as meal preparation and transportation, while Homeland HomeHealth will provide doctor-ordered medical assistance, ranging from providing intravenous therapy and other medications to physical therapy.

“By 2020, one in five Americans will be over 65 and many will be requiring assistance to remain in their homes,’’ said Barry S. Ramper II, Homeland’s president and CEO. “For 150 years Homeland has changed and expanded its services to meet our community’s needs, and we realize the growing and critical need for home-based care.’’

Homeland HomeCare services will be available starting July 5th and Homeland HomeHealth, in the process of receiving its state license, is expected to begin accepting clients in the Fall of 2016. Initially, both services will only be available to residents of Dauphin and Cumberland counties.

For more information about the new services contact:

“Homeland is the recognized leader in providing high quality care for our community’s seniors,’’ Ramper said. “As our population ages and the demand for home-based services increases exponentially, we want to be there for the families who have always trusted us to care for their loved ones.”

Homeland Hospice, which serves 13 counties, last year became the only service in central Pennsylvania to offer a dedicated pediatric hospice program. Homeland Center is one of the few skilled nursing care facilities in the region to repeatedly earn Medicare’s top Five-Star rating.

While Homeland HomeCare and Homeland HomeHealth are two distinct services, they will work together based on an individual’s needs. In many cases a client discharged from the hospital may need medical assistance for a period of time and then require additional daily assistance on a permanent basis.

A main difference between the two services is that home health care requires a doctor’s order and is usually covered by the individual’s insurance or Medicare. Care is provided by skilled nurses and other medical professionals. Home care, providing help with everyday activities, is paid for by the client, either directly or through long-term care insurance.

“With the addition of these services, Homeland will be able to help seniors as their need for care increases,’’ Ramper said.

“In some cases a husband or wife may need the skilled nursing care provided at Homeland Center while their spouse will remain at home with help from Homeland HomeHealth Care,’’ Ramper said. “Homeland Hospice is available to provide care at the person’s home, a nursing facility or wherever they are residing.’’

Homeland Center Board of Trustees Chair Morton Spector said the creation of Homeland Home Care and Homeland Home Health is a continuation of Homeland’s mission to identify and meet the community’s medical and social needs.

“Homeland Center has changed since it was founded 150 years ago to shelter the area’s women and children whose husbands and fathers had died in the Civil War,’’ Spector said. “But our mission to provide for the needs of our community and deliver quality care has never changed.’’

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Since 1867, Homeland has provided quality care to the residents of Central Pennsylvania. In addition to offering skilled nursing and personal care services, Homeland Hospice offers care for adults as well as providing the region’s only pediatric hospice program. For more information, go to www.homelandcenter.org  or www.homelandhospice.org

Barry Ramper, President & CEO of Homeland Center, announces the launch of two new service offerings – HomeHealth and HomeCare at a press conference on June 30th, 2016, at the John Harris-Simon Cameron  Mansion, Harrisburg.  While planning for the introduction of HomeHealth and HomeCare, Homeland wanted to offer options to individuals seeking care – with the high quality care that they are known for when they need it and at an affordable cost.

Homeland’s HomeHealth and HomeCare services will be managed by (from left to right) Lora Bierce, RN, Susan Minarik, RN and Debra Weigel, BSN, RN.  Susan, the Director of Home and Community Based Services, Lora and Debra – both Assistant Directors – HomeHealth and HomeCare, each have more than 20 years of experience in the home care services field.