The Episcopal Home
Puts the "personal" in personal care

Woven In Mission

Our residents continue to enjoy the many postcards and good wishes you sent following Episcopal Home Mission Sunday. We are posting your messages where our residents can pause and read them as they pass by.

Thank You!
Meet Jane Offner
Jane Offner has two passions - art and cooking. She has finally settled into a time of her life that she can devote time to both. A Shippensburg native, Jane left town to pursue her BS in Art Education at Penn State, and then studied Marketing at Rowan University. Subsequently, she has lived in Doylestown, PA, Wenonah, NJ and Vermont (where she learned to cook at a high end restaurant). She spent 15 years as a general manager with the Wendy's food franchise, later being promoted to the position of Regional Marketing Manager for 51 Wendy's locations in Philadelphia and New York, a position she held for 8 years. When her children were grown and left home, she returned to Shippensburg to help care for her mother. For the next couple of years, she worked in the kitchens of a large assisted living facility, where she was a compliance officer, but also handled some special events and learned to cook for large numbers. A parishioner at St. Andrew's (Ship), she is often recruited to help organize and cook for various church functions. Jane bought a house on the same block as the Episcopal Home and eventually took a position here as a cook. Now she has time for a more laid back lifestyle, with time to devote to creating and marketing her artwork.

Jane enjoys her co-workers and our residents. She points to the small, family atmosphere as one of our strongest assets. She is impressed by how residents are all called by name, and how the kitchen staff all know residents' likes, dislikes, special dietary needs, etc. She also thinks it is great that our residents can enjoy home cooking and have a say in the food choices offered. Jane admires the human element and respect that is apparent here compared to other places she has worked where residents were referred to by room number rather than name. Finally, Jane exclaims,

"The kitchen staff here is great and I love this kitchen." It has a retro feel,
but is also modern and functional...and clean!"
Civic Club Luncheon
We hosted an annual luncheon meeting for members of the Shippensburg Civic Club. Our amazing kitchen staff decorated the dining room and created a delicious meal of panko-crusted chicken,
lemon-parmesan risotto, asparagus, and a blueberry cheese bar dessert. Residents had a fun day as well, as they were treated to lunch in their rooms, and later in the day, some of them ate out at the local Pizza Hu t.
Around the House
Residents like to gather and lend a helping hand. Snapping green beans was fun - and they got to eat them afterward.
Ruthie takes aim during a good-natured
ring toss competition.

Our staff was recently treated to a catered appreciation dinner, compliments of a generous family member of a former resident. It was a nice time to visit, remember our resident, and give the kitchen staff a chance to enjoy a meal they didn't have to prepare!

Residents
October 5: Frank M
October 7: Joyce

 Staff
October 9: Tonya
October 29: Cindy
October 31: Laurie


Creative Endeavors

Recently, three of our residents participated in a writing workshop held at St. Andrew's (Ship). Juanita (right) was enthusiastic about the experience and said she learned quite a bit. She was most interested in the topics of "Morning Pages" and "Self Reflection," and has done some writing in each of those categories. She's excited about upcoming workshops involving herbs, photography and painting. When the next writing workshop is held, she plans to be there.

October 20:
Baking Club
October 17:
Dining out

October 18:
Music - Dr. Jurgenson @ 1:30

October 31:
Fall Party @ 2:00
We're delighted to welcome back Jean Ritchie who provides piano music during lunchtime on Mondays.
Dr. Craig Jurgenson visits each month to entertain and engage our residents with music and conversation. He and Dolly are friends from their days together at St. John's in Carlisle.
Robiiee Leedy is our newest entertainment volunteer.
Residents were delighted to participate in a sing-a-long with her.
How do I stay connected to my loved one who is living at the Episcopal Home?
This is a question I hear often - usually after the first six months of admission. Those early months are full of adjustment issues - settling in to a new environment, organizing appointments, communicating dietary needs, getting to know other residents, etc. As these issues fall into place, residents can be left thinking, "What now?"

Visits to your loved one are important, but will best serve him or her if the visit is convenient for the resident. Consider whether your resident is a morning person, an afternoon person, or an evening person. Be sure you understand his or her daily schedule, and choose times that do not conflict with dressing, eating, bathing, activities, etc. It's considerate to work around your resident's schedule, and he or she will appreciate being asked in advance.

What can you do once the visit is set? Here are some ideas:
  • work on a project together, such as family history or family stories
  • share photos
  • participate with your loved one in EH activities
  • reminisce
  • run errands
  • share a meal - either out or at the EH

The important thing is that your loved one still feels connected to you.
It's Quilt Raffle Time Again!
Members of the quilt group at St. Andrew's (Ship) have been hard at work designing and stitching this year's beautiful queen size quilt to be raffled as a benefit to the Episcopal Home. The raffle will be held December 5 - just in time for the holidays.

Tickets are only $1 and can be purchased from any St. Andrew's quilter, or at the Episcopal Home .

Did You Know....?
 It's easy to donate online. Many of our residents depend on your generosity to help them cover the cost of their care. Online giving is quick, safe, and saves on paper and postage. To donate online, click on the button below.
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