The American Cancer Society “Relay For Life” is a 24 hour fundraising event that gives communities a chance to celebrate the lives of people who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost, and fight back against the disease.
In Haverford Township, teams of people walked or ran relay style at a the Haverford Reserve located 3500 Darby Rd, Haverford, Pa. Relay participants camped out overnight and walkers were on the field for 24 hours. It was a block party event with music, games, prizes and lots of fun, held June 5th through June 6th.
The Relay For Life began in 1985 when Dr. Gordy Klatt, a colorectal surgeon in Tacoma, Washington, ran and walked around a track for 24 hours to raise money for the American Cancer Society. Since then, Relay has grown from a single man’s passion to fight cancer into the world’s largest movement to end the disease. Each year, more than 3.5 million people in 5,000 communities in the United States, along with additional communities in 19 other countries, gather to take part in this global phenomenon and raise much-needed funds and awareness to save lives from cancer.
Although every Relay For Life is different, there are certain traditions at all Relays, no matter where they are held. These traditions help participants celebrate, remember, and fight back.
Celebrate - The Survivors Lap
The Relay starts with a Survivors Lap; an inspirational time when survivors are invited to circle the track together and help everyone celebrate the victories we’ve achieved over cancer. Survivors were honored with a catered dinner and special gifts. Survivors of cancer had the chance to get re-acquainted with old friends who have suffered along with them. They were also able meet new friends who are beginning their struggle. In each survivor’s story, there is a message of determination, courage and gratefulness shared by their loved ones and caregivers.
This year Home Helper of Drexel Hill, Pa and Media, Pa served as exclusive sponsors for the survivor’s reception and lap. Home Helpers provides non-medical support care for cancer survivors and others with various illnesses. They also provide support care for clients who are new mothers, seniors wishing to remain in their own homes, retirement communities, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, hospitals and more.
Remember - The Luminaria Ceremony
After dark, people who have been touched by cancer were honored and remembered during the Luminaria Ceremony. Candles were lit inside bags filled with sand, each one bearing the name of a person touched by cancer, while participants often walk a lap in silence.
Fight Back - The Fight Back Ceremony
The Fight Back Ceremony is for participants to make a personal commitment to save lives by taking up the fight against cancer. No matter where you are, there’s a place for you at Relay and you can make a difference today by signing up online to start your own team or by simply making a donation.
Are you a senior who is confused about your Advance Directives? Completing an advance directive is the first step toward having your end-of-life wishes honored.
Join us as Lauren Batalka, Area Manager for Lehigh Valley Home Helpers, presents "Advanced Directives: What You Need to Know" at the Upper Bucks County Senior Center, Wednesday, July 14th at 12 p.m.
The Upper Bucks County Senior Center is located at the Milford Square Fire Company, 2183 Milford Square Pike, Quakertown, PA 18951.
For the second year in a row, Home Helpers was named the Best Home Senior Care Agency in Delaware County during the voting phase of the “Best of Delco” conducted by The Delaware County Daily Times
Delaware County, PA…Kerry Brown, Associate Director Clinical Services for the Alzheimer’s Association Delaware Valley Chapter will be speaking on the topic of Early Stage Alzheimer’s at the Home Helpers office, Chester Heights, PA on September 15, 2010 at 1pm to 2:30 pm.
The office, located at 327 W Baltimore Pike is hosting this program in an effort to educate the surrounding community about what early stage Alzheimer’s is. Ms. Brown’s presentation will also include information on how the disease is diagnosed and best practices for people living with early stages of dementia.
Ms. Brown will also introduce the early stage services offered by Delaware Valley Chapter, which include community education, dual support groups, art & culture programming and volunteer opportunities in the Delaware county area. This program is open to both caregivers and persons with Alzheimer’s Disease and other forms of dementia.
5.3 million people suffer from Alzheimer’s disease in the United States and 294,000 live right here in the Delaware Valley. Every 70 seconds someone in the U.S. develops Alzheimer’s.
Home Helpers is a premier provider of in-home, non-medical and personal care and companionship for seniors, people coping with a lifelong illness or disability, and those recuperating from a recent surgery or hospitalization, providing a proactive, not a reactive, program for families. From occasional visits, to respite, to hospice care, the team at Home Helpers is always there to provide guidance, reassurance and compassionate care. Call (877) 464-9090 or visit www.HomeHelpersPhilly.com.
The Alzheimer’s Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer’s care, support and research. The Delaware Valley Chapter is the local arm of the National organization. For information on the Early Stage program or register for this program and services, please call the Alzheimer’s Association Delaware Valley Chapter call 800-272-3900.
Media, PA (June 14, 2010) – The past few months in the Philadelphia area have proven particularly unsafe for some of the community’s eldest residents. Headlines have spotlighted violence against the elderly in their own homes. E.g.:
May 9: A 90-year-old was beaten and robbed in his home by men who gained access by claiming to be from the water department. Philadelphia police say the suspects are preying on the elderly. - Source: WPVI TV
Not all such episodes have to end violently. Take Margaret Peters*, a 78 year- old resident of a Philadelphia suburb. Margaret heard the sounds of someone breaking into to her apartment and immediately activated her “DirectLink” Emergency Home Monitoring system.
DirectLink, a service of Home Helpers of the Delaware Valley, is a two-way communications system whose operators immediately dispatched police to Mrs. Peters’ home and stayed in contact with her until their arrival. Police found a broken window in the rear door. DirectLink is just one of the services from the Home Helpers Delaware Valley Co-op that provide compassionate care, security or companionship for senior citizens.
Home Helpers employs fully-screened caregivers, personally matched with elderly, ill or disabled clientele. The agency works with families to customize an ongoing care program to help seniors live more safely. Services might include temporary relief for family caregivers, or live-in care at either a home or hospice. All Home Helpers’ caregivers are employed by the agency, which is often not the case when choosing from a registry list.
“It’s very sad that our elders are often targeted, but at least there are affordable and empathetic ways to make people’s loved ones less vulnerable,” said Tom Carroll, president of the Home Helpers Delaware Valley Co-op. “We’re glad to be part of that solution.”
About Home Helpers
Home Helpers is a premier provider of in-home, non-medical and personal care and companionship for seniors, people coping with a lifelong illness or disability, and those recuperating from a recent surgery or hospitalization, providing a proactive, not a reactive, program for families. From occasional visits, to respite, to hospice care, the team at Home Helpers is always there to provide guidance, reassurance and compassionate care. Call (877) 464-9090 or visit www.HomeHelpersPhilly.com.
* Name changed for privacy.
The owners and staff of the Downingtown Home Helpers participated in a successful “Relay for Life” American Cancer Society event on May 22nd and May 23rd. Over $900 was raised by the Downingtown office. Here, some of the staff enjoys the event which benefitted a great cause.
5th Annual County SummitGreater North Penn Collaborative for Health & Human Services,
“Meeting the Challenges of Elder Caregiving”
June 22, 2010
Click Here to Learn More & Register!
Media, PA (May 19, 2010) – As a professional caregiving provider that offers services mostly to senior clientele, the Home Helpers offices of the Delaware Valley have been recognizing Older Americans Month throughout May with commemorative events and activities. This included sponsorship/participation in the Delaware County Office of Services for the Aging (COSA)’s 8th Annual Centenarian Luncheon on May 11, which honored close to 45 centenarians. Home Helpers’ Media, PA, office was proud to have one of its centenarian clients, Mary Beck, attend that event with her caregiver.
Additionally, Home Helpers is a gold sponsor of the First Annual Montgomery County Centenarian Luncheon, a joint effort of Montgomery County’s Office of Aging and Adult Services and the Montgomery County Foundation, to be held in Lansdale on May 21. ACTS Retirement-Life Communities is the presenting sponsor of this event.
Home Helpers has offices throughout the U.S. and Canada, which employs fully-screened caregivers who are personally matched with elderly, ill or disabled clientele. The agency works with individual families to design a customized, ongoing care program that can help a senior live more safely and easily in his or her current residence, a hospice environment, or in a transition home from a nursing facility. Home Helpers of the Delaware Valley consists of agencies in Drexel Hill, Hellertown, Lansdale, Downingtown, Media, Newtown, and Philadelphia.
“We’re committed to senior citizens and their families, and are proud to celebrate this month in their honor,” said Tom Carroll, President of the Home Helpers Delaware Valley Co-op. “By providing services to the extended families of the many elderly residents in our area, we know first-hand how important they are.”
As We Age: For the Healthcare Professional
Learn why proper planning is critical to protecting ones independence and life’s work. This class is designed to introduce you to the tools needed to address aging patients and their families. We will cover three primary themes: legal planning, financial planning and caring for aging adults.
Tom Krupp (Home Helpers), Eric George (Esq.), Komal Date & Michelle Volm (New York Life)
Application for Nursing Contact Hours Submitted to PSNA
Newtown Campus/$49/WHPAH 0354 WB1/Wed, 6/16, 1-5 pm
As We Age
This five-hour course is for the consumer who is being faced with caring for the aging. Proper planning is necessary to protect independence and your life’s work. This course is designed to introduce the tools needed to address these concerns. The course covers three primary themes, legal planning, financial planning, and caring for the aging adult, that are of particular concern to seniors and their adult children.
Tom Krupp(Home Helpers), Eric George (Esq.), Komal Date& Michelle Volm (New York Life)
Newtown Campus/$49/RCEGN 8068 WB1/2 Tues, 6/8–6/15, 6:30–9 pm
To register call 215-968-8409/Fax 215-968-8321/www.bucks.edu/con-ed.
For more information call 215-968-8106 or 215-968-8316
» Download PDF Flyer for the event
Mary Beck and her Home Helpers’ Caregiver, Betty Ferguson are getting ready for Mary’s 102nd B-day in May, 2010.