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All Home Nursing Agency News

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

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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Connected by COVID-19: Healing Patch Supports Families Impacted by COVID-19 Deaths

During the last two years, there have been many statistics about how our world, nation, state, and communities have been impacted by COVID-19. A startling number to consider is the more than 167,000 children – roughly one in 450 of all children in the United States – who have lost at least one of their caregivers to COVID-19, according to COVID Collaborative. As local children are being affected, the Healing Patch Children’s Grief Program has

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2022 Mercedes Moment Tickets on Sale Now

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

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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photo of Melody Ray, Healing Patch Coordinator and her mother in 2020

When the Grief Is Yours: Facing Death as a Grief Specialist

Shared by Melody Ray, Healing Patch Coordinator I would like to start with a disclaimer. This is my personal grief journey. Just as everyone’s relationship with the person who died is unique, so too is our grief. There is no exact right way to grieve no exact road map to follow… this is simply my path and perspectives gained. Over the past nine years, I have worked in the children’s bereavement field supporting children and families

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allysha capps and her son patrick at a virtual therapy session

Milestone Makers

Early Intervention Therapists Facilitate Progress of Young Clients When Allysha Capps was pregnant in 2019, she was doing more than the usual preparations to welcome new life into her family. As her son Patrick was diagnosed prenatally with hypoplastic heart syndrome, she prepared for her newborn to undergo surgeries and face restrictions that would delay his development. “They told us even before he was born that therapy would be beneficial,” Allysha explains. Patrick had his

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infographic - 1 in 12 PA children experience death of a loved one by 18

Growing with Grief

A Look at Childhood Bereavement Rates and Support for Local Grieving Children Long overlooked, childhood bereavement is a critical issue and an increasingly important national priority. Nationally, one in 14 children, or 5.2 million, will experience the death of a parent or sibling by age 18 based on the 2020 Childhood Bereavement Estimation Model (CBEM). By age 25, that number more than doubles to 13.2 million. The Childhood Bereavement Estimation Model (CBEM) was developed by

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

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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infographic of the 'ok's' of covid-19

The OK’s of COVID-19: Validating Our Responses to the Pandemic

1. It is OK to have many feelings at once. On any given day, you may experience a multitude of feelings, such as feeling overwhelmed by all of the daily changes, angry at cancelled events, disappointed by missed opportunities, sad that you cannot spend time with family and friends, wary when you cross someone at the grocery store, or too exhausted to even get out of bed. These feelings you are having are normal and

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Early Intervention Manager Shares about Infant Development

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 Free Webinar with World-Renowned Grief Expert on Nov. 18

Family Hospice, Part of UPMC, is pleased to offer a live webinar featuring world-renowned author and grief educator, Dr. Alan Wolfelt. Offered in partnership with Stevens Family Funeral Home, this webinar is titled “Tending to Your Broken Heart when Someone Dies: Hope for Your Healing” and will be held on Mon., Nov. 18 from 3-6 p.m. at UPMC Altoona. A virtual option is also available. Dr. Wolfelt has been recognized as one of North America’s

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decades club event on september 28, 2024

Decades Club Raffle Drawing and Evening of Dancing to Benefit the Healing Patch on Sept. 28

Tickets are sold out for the 2024 Decades Club to benefit the Healing Patch Children’s Grief Program. This evening of prizes and music will be held at the Blair County Convention Center, Altoona on Saturday, September 28. 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

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young adult comforting someone at a support group meeting

Family Hospice Offers Fall Grief Support Groups

Family Hospice, Part of UPMC, is offering free grief support options this fall throughout West Central Pennsylvania. Registration is required. Please see registration deadlines and contacts for each area. Bedford Groups will be held at the UPMC Home Healthcare/Family Hospice office, 227 Hospital Dr., Ste. 2, Everett (rear entrance of Pennwood Family Medicine). Groups will be held on Fridays from Sept. 6 – Oct. 11 from 2-3 p.m. Family Hospice Bereavement Coordinator Jennifer Cox is facilitating this group for attendees

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