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Agency News

Family Hospice Offers Grief Support Options This Fall

August 16, 2022

Family Hospice, Part of UPMC, is offering free grief support options this fall at the UPMC Home Healthcare/Family Hospice offices throughout West Central Pennsylvania, as well as a virtual option for widows/widowers. For everyone’s safety, all participants are required to wear a mask. There are no exceptions, and social distancing will be implemented. Space is limited. Registration is required by contacting Bereavement Secretary Charlene Ebersole at 814-414-9990 or ebersolec@upmc.edu. Blair Groups will be held at the UPMC Home

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Decades Club Raffle Drawing and Evening of Dancing to Benefit the Healing Patch on Oct. 8

June 6, 2022

Join us for an evening of prizes and music to benefit grieving children and their families! The Decades Club will be held at the Blair County Convention Center, Altoona on Saturday, October 8. Dance and sing with us through the decades, and dine with us through the cultures with chances to win cash and prizes! The Reverse Raffle drawing will award more than $4,500 in cash prizes as we enjoy food stations from across the world (full menu

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Charlotte & Paul Pletcher with their new mercedes

2022 Mercedes Moment Winner Announced

May 24, 2022

Charlotte & Paul Pletcher of Osterburg held the winning number – 545 – for Home Nursing Agency Foundation’s Mercedes Moment fundraiser held on May 19.   The winner was announced as part of Mercedes Moment Night at the Altoona Curve after the first Pick 3 Pennsylvania lottery number at 7 p.m. As the winner, the Pletchers were offered the choice of the Mercedes A 220 or $30,000 cash prize.   In the 20th consecutive year, Mercedes Moment raised

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Healing Patch Children’s Grief Program to host Volunteer Open House on April 11

March 15, 2022

According to the 2020 Childhood Bereavement Estimation Model (CBEM), in Cambria County, one in 12 children will experience the death of a parent by age 18. That equates to 2,220 children. Out of 67 Pennsylvania counties, Cambria County has the second highest rate of children who will lose a parent by age 18. Behind this staggering statistic are real children who are struggling with difficult emotions like loneliness, fear, and anger. At the Healing Patch

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Private Duty Home Care Receives Best of Home Care® – Provider of Choice Award for Tenth Year

February 28, 2022

Home Nursing Agency Private Duty Home Care announced today that it has received the 2022 Best of Home Care Provider of Choice Award from Home Care Pulse for the tenth consecutive year. The Provider of Choice Award is granted only to the top-ranking home care providers, based on client satisfaction scores gathered by Home Care Pulse, an independent satisfaction research firm for home care. Home Nursing Agency has ranked among these select few home care

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2022 Mercedes Moment Tickets on Sale Now

February 9, 2022

Download the ticket order form and return today to get your ticket. The sole purpose of the Mercedes Moment fundraiser is to raise funds that will allow us (and you) to make a difference in the lives of individuals and families we serve who have tremendous needs beyond normal circumstances.  What is Mercedes Moment? $100 per ticket 2019 Mercedes A 220 4-Matic Sedan* or $30,000 cash Based on the first 3-digit PA Lottery on Thursday, May

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Family Hospice Offers Grief Support Groups throughout West Central Pennsylvania

February 8, 2022

Family Hospice, Part of UPMC, is offering free grief support sessions this spring at the UPMC Home Healthcare/Family Hospice offices throughout West Central Pennsylvania. For everyone’s safety, all participants are required to wear a mask. There are no exceptions, and social distancing will be implemented. Space is limited. Registration is required by contacting Bereavement Secretary Charlene Ebersole at 814-947-7060 or ebersolec@upmc.edu. Bedford Groups will be held at the UPMC Home Healthcare/Family Hospice office, 227 Hospital Drive, Suite 2,

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Local Media Share Healing Patch’s “OK’s of COVID-19”

April 23, 2020

As Healing Patch staff Melody Ray and Shalen Steinbugl recognized the great losses we face related to COVID-19, they authored a blog post called “The OK’s of COVID-19: Validating Our Reponses to the Pandemic.” Various media outlets shared the resources the Healing Patch is offering to grieving children and families, as well as these statements validating the difficult emotions everyone is facing in this time.

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Early Intervention Manager Shares about Infant Development

November 1, 2018

Diane Ringler, Early Intervention Manager, recently shared her experiences with infant development as part of WTAJ’s positive parenting series. This story focused on babies’ ability to predict behavior of others through their social interactions early in life. Click here to view the story on WTAJ’s website.

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Family Hospice Offers Spring Grief Support Groups

February 11, 2025

Family Hospice, Part of UPMC, is offering free grief support options this spring throughout West Central Pennsylvania. Registration is required. Please see registration deadlines and contacts for each area. Bedford Groups will be held at Homewood at Spring House Estates (Chapel), 150 Victoria Ave., Everett. Groups will be held on Fridays from March 21-April 25 from 2-3 p.m. Family Hospice Bereavement Coordinator Jennifer Cox is facilitating this group for attendees to share their feelings with others who are grieving.

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2025 Mercedes Moment Tickets on Sale Now

February 3, 2025

Download the ticket order form, and return today to get your ticket. The sole purpose of the Mercedes Moment fundraiser is to raise funds that will allow us (and you) to make a difference in the lives of individuals and families we serve who have tremendous needs beyond normal circumstances.  What is Mercedes Moment? $100 per ticket 2025 Mercedes CLA 250* or $30,000 cash** Based on the first 3-digit PA Lottery on Thursday, May 29,

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Flashlight Egg Hunt to Benefit the Healing Patch on March 28, 2025

December 26, 2024

The third annual Flashlight Egg Hunt will be held on Friday, March 28, 2025 at the Altoona Curve – Peoples Natural Gas Field in Altoona, PA. Tickets are sold out. The Flashlight Egg Hunt welcomes adults 18 years of age and older to don a headlamp, grab a bag or strap on a backpack, and scurry to gather as many eggs as possible in the dark. Once the lights are turned back on, participants can

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