Homestead Village purchases The Farmstead

Shortly before Christmas, on Tuesday, December 22, 2015, Homestead Village Enhanced Senior Living, Lime Spring Partners and Marietta Associates met to finalize the agreements reached on October 8, 2015.  Homestead Village purchased the buildings and fifteen lots at The Farmstead which will become the fourth neighborhood of the Life Plan Community located along Marietta Avenue and celebrating its 30th anniversay in 2016.  "This event is the culmination of seven months of negotiations, planning and due diligence on the part of the organizations involved," according to Douglas Motter, President. "It is a great Christmas present for our community."

The Farmstead is part of the first phase of development along the recently completed Noll Drive between Route 741 and Running Pump Road.  Oak Tree Development Group owns the historic Lime Spring Farm and adjacent land and has approvals from East Hempfield Township to create a mixed use, village overlay on the property with a mix of residential retail and commercial.  The Farmstead is ideally located, surrounded by and in walking distance from the village of Rohrerstown, Stauffers of Kissel Hill's flagship store, the centuries old buildings of Lime Spring Farm and a future township park.  It is located just a few steps west of The Mews at Homestead Village, another of Homestead Village's successful neighborhoods.

Headline Reads "Elderly Scams Cost 12 TIMES More Than Previously Thought"

Earlier this year, staff writer Ann Brenoff, wrote the shocking headline above for The Huffington Post [2/5/2015].  Ann, who is in her fifties and "AARP-eligible," goes on to say that about four or five times a day, her home phone rings with people who say she has done business with them before (not true) or who say that she asked them to call (not true).  Increasingly, it is angry-voiced men claiming to be from the IRS or some fraud-investigation division of the government who say she owes them money (not true).  Ms. Brenoff surmises that the scammers play off one of older adults biggest concerns - a hazy memory!

The results of a recent study of financial abuse of older adults is pretty startling.  A U.S. True Link Financial study found that the overall cost of fraud is 12 times previous estimates - more than $36 billion. A Met Life study previously pegged the cost of scamming older adults at $2.9 billion. Many crimes are never reported.  The reason: "Admitting you got confused and gave some guy on the phone your credit card information is one step away from the "what should we do about mom?" conversation, according to Ms. Brenoff.

Here are some of the key points to keep in mind:

1. Sometimes the financial manipulation is perfectly legal including confusing language that commits the buyer to more than they wanted or hiding expensive shipping and handling fees . Often it is repeated phone solicitations from unscrupulous and never-heard-of charities. 
2. The True Link study revealed that financial exploitation is typically progressive, rather than an isolated incident. Once people fall prey to a scam, they are repeatedly targeted.
3. The National Center for Victims of Crime says that Americans age 65 and older are more likely to be targeted by fraudsters and more likely to lose money once targeted.
4. People 60 years and older were 26 percent of all fraud complaints tracked by the Federal Trade Commission in 2012 -- the most of any age group. 
5. One in every five Americans age 65 or older has been abused financially, according to a 2010 survey by the Investor Protection Trust, a financial-education organization. 

While many scams are perpetrated by strangers on the telephone or sitting at a computer anywhere in the world, financial misappropriation often happens in our own homes or at our front door.  Everyone needs to take steps to make themselves safe.  Here are some rules to adopt:

1. Never respond to a phone call.  Ask for the information in writing or just hang up.  Your bank or other financial institution as well as the IRS will always put their request in writing.  Even if the person says they are a neighbor or relative, do not believe them.  Scammers use surprise and urgency to their advantage.  Never give out any information over the phone or in response to an email (and don't click on the links!).
2. Only contribute to charities that you have researched and that you know for a fact are legitimate.
3. Talk over large requests for charity or demands for payment with your family, your financial consultant, your lawyer, your pastor or one of the leaders at Homestead Village.  It is better to get counsel that concurs than pay the money and then regret it later.

Homestead Village does everything it can to keep our community free of scams and fraudulent activity.  If we become aware of any behavior that puts our residents at risk, we take immediate action for the well being of all who call Homestead Village their home.

Homestead Village Enhanced Senior Living: A LIFE PLAN COMMUNITY

Life Plan Community has been chosen, after a multi year effort, to replace Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) as the primary description of communities for older adults.  For most people, their first question would be, "Why change?"  That is a good question.  The best way to answer it is to first look at history and then look at the present.

Communities for older adults have been labeled with various terms over the past hundred years that today seem unbelievable.  "Asylum" was probably the most heinous label.  Of course when asylum was the popular term, residents were referred to as inmates; so the terminology was offensive from all aspects.  "Homes for the Aged" was  used regularly replaced by "Convalescent Home" and "Nursing Home."  When these terms were no longer acceptable, new, modern terminology took their place.  The modern terms were cool and very business like.  "Skilled Nursing Facility" and "Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing Center" are two of the more popular terms that are still in use today.  The term facility is ubiquitous.  It appears in the news and even in regulations. It is often the term used to describe a community by its own residents and employees.  Facility is the opposite of home.  No one calls the home they grew up in a facility.  The most basic definition of facility is space or equipment necessary for doing something.  It is a very functional term; but does not describe the key reason we create communities for elders:  caring, compassion, love and fellowship.  Center has a similar connotation.
Back in the seventies and eighties, as retirement communities began to appear across the country, the term continuing care retirement community became popular and has come to define the type of living arrangement that offers multiple levels of care in one location.  Even the accreditation is named Continuing Care Accreditation (CARF-CCAC).  This terminology has served well for the past three decades or more; but its shortcomings have begun to appear.  As the new generation of elders approach the decision to move to a community, they have expressed displeasure with the term, CCRC.  Two of the four words elicit negative feedback.  Care and Retirement are both unpopular with the boomers.Even continuing is institutional sounding.
Leaders in the"Life Plan Community" field recognized this problem and began a deliberate effort to identify new terminology that best describes what we offer.  After two years of hard work including market testing, the term "Life Plan Community" has been chosen.  It was announced at the annual LeadingAge conference in Boston in November. The public relations information included with the announcement includes the tag line, "It's my life; it's my plan; it's my life plan community!"  Use of the term in place of CCRC is voluntary; but it offers a new and fresh take on what communities such as Homestead Village offer those who choose to make us their home.
Homestead Village will embrace Life Plan Community and do its part to facilitate the transformation in language and thought.

Church of the Apostle's Rader Park

Homestead Village is blessed to be located in an idyllic location, close to every major attraction and thoroughfare, yet tucked into beautiful neighborhoods.  One amenity that we often take for granted is Rader Park.  According to Church of the Apostles’ website,

“Rader Park is an outdoor ministry of Church of the Apostles that encompasses over 20 acres of our campus. Over the years it’s been developed with an eye toward stewardship of the earth and faithful ecological practices. Improvements include:

• Over 100 trees have been planted in the last few years including memorial trees to honor members who have passed away. There are stands of evergreens planted as boundary trees to hide a busy road. The memorial trees have created an aleé of hardwoods leading to a group of evergreens planted to create an enclosed campfire area used for intergenerational campout.
• Other natural features include a pond stocked with fish which is home to frogs and a snapping turtle or two.
• Church members have worked together to build walking trails and gazebos at strategic places for rest and viewing the scenery.
• A large pavilion was completed in 2007 and is used for outdoor worship services and church picnics. Playground equipment for the children is available in this area.
• A butterfly garden was developed to encourage all sorts of beneficial insects.
  
• Bee hives have been added and the church produces its own honey known as Sweet Success.
• In the summer of 2012, an acre and a half was plowed and a vegetable garden was planted. Members planted, weeded, harvested and sold vegetables on the property to clients and employees of our campus partner non-profit organizations. Over two tons of vegetables were donated to local residential missions and some of the produce was frozen for use in homemade soup made and sold in the church during the winter.
• Summer programming in the park is a very active part of our church. Center city school children arrive in May for field trips and benefit from the science and ecology they learn through stream studies, planting vegetables, fishing in the pond, and studying bugs living in the dirt. A Wacky Wednesday literacy program for toddlers and young children is held every summer with adult story readers. Organizations including our own Apostles Preschool, and various other non- profit agencies, use the park for their summer camps that last anywhere from a week to a month. 
• On Sunday evenings in the summer, intergenerational programs focusing on nature and ecology occur every two weeks and bring a large crowd of member families and neighbors alike. The evenings always end with ice cream, sometimes from our own soft ice cream machine.

Rader Park is an important part of our church mission of Sharing Christ’s Love with All People. Many people say they feel closer to God in nature and Rader Park fills that spiritual need for many. Come see our park and enjoy everything it has to offer.”

Church of the Apostles has graciously made Rader Park available for the enjoyment and well being of the Homestead Community.  We are indebted to them for enhancing our environment and surroundings with beauty and opportunities for exercise, picnicking, gardening and public service.  Over forty years ago, Nevin Shellenberger had a vision for his church to be surrounded by ministries that the church could support and lead.  With the help of like-minded individuals such as Glen Rader, Bob Williams, Richard Geiger, Al Alspach and others, Nevin's dream has become a reality.  Rader Park is an important part of that incredible legacy.

How Does Charitable Care Work at Homestead Village?

Many residents have asked the question, "How does Homestead Village provides charitable care?"  It is a key part of our mission and our non-profit, charitable status.  Charitable care starts with the generosity of others.  Homestead Village is able to provide charitable care because our generous and caring stakeholders have contributed to our endowment.  That endowment provides the additional revenue needed to cover the cost of the charitable care.  Another key to  providing charitable care is careful budgeting and operations.  Knowing that we have a commitment to provide charitable care, we are careful with our resources.  The final piece of the charitable puzzle is ensuring that the need for charity does not exceed our ability to provide it. That means appropriate screen of new residents in all levels of care to ensure that they can pay for their services most of their life.

 Most residents of Homestead Village (and most other retirement communities) pay for their services with their own funds.  Other non-charitable sources of payment are long-term care insurance and Medicare.  Medicare has many forms and primarily pays for the first 30-100 days of care in a nursing home as well as for medications, therapy, physician services and other ancillary services.  Long-term care insurance pays in most licensed areas of care, including nursing care, personal care and home care when a recipient meets the medical requirements of the plan.

For most of us, if we live long enough, we might outlast our assets.  It doesn't help that as we get older, we require additional assistance which costs more money.  The end result for many people is the inability to pay their full bill.  When this occurs, we ask the resident to write a letter detailing the situation and provide a full accounting of their financial situation, including all assets, income, expenses and debts. Homestead Village's CFO, Brent Messner, then makes a determination as to the amount of charitable financial assistance necessary to meet the full bill.  The resident continues to pay as much as they can afford.  That is how charitable care is provided in residential living and personal care.  

In the nursing home, charitable care is governed by the Medicaid program.  Medicaid requires in most cases, a recipient to spend down most of their assets.  Exceptions are made for the spouse in the community and residents can often keep their homes; but the Department of Human Services is likely to put a lean on the home to recoup Medicaid payments.  Residents applying for Medicaid must provide their financial information to the county assistance office, which makes the determination as to how much of the nursing home bill will be paid by the Commonwealth and how much will be the responsibility of the resident.

 There are a number of challenging scenarios related to planning for health care later in life.  One of the first is Long Term Care Insurance.  Long Term Care Insurance is a complicated purchase and it is difficult to know when to purchase it and how much coverage to buy.  A financial planner can help determine the specific policy and values to purchase, depending on your age and physical condition when you apply.  The second difficult decision is whether to listen to the many schemes about shielding assets.  The temptation is great but there are two problems.  One is the five year look back that the Department of Human Services employs and second is the ethical question.  Any money that is transferred within five years of application for Medicaid will be disqualified and that money will be required to be spent toward care prior to approval for Medicaid.  The ethical issue is simple. Why should the rest of society, and in the case of the Apostles Center, the rest of Homestead Village pay for your care if you have the financial resources to pay for it yourself.  The Federal Government is nearly $19 trillion dollars in debt.  Every state is struggling to balance its budget and Homestead Village loses money on each resident on Medicaid.  Thus all other residents have to pay more money each time a resident qualifies for Medicaid.  Lawyers offer many other schemes to shield money and help individuals with means qualify for Medicaid sooner.  While these schemes are usually legal, each elicits many ethical issues.

Resident Expectation Survey Points to High Satisfaction Levels

Every two years for over a decade, Homestead Village has asked our residents to participate in a satisfaction survey.  The survey has two components.  The first is the numerical scoring in 22 categories.  The second and much larger part of the survey is the comments that are solicited within each question and overall.

Fortunately Homestead Village Residents are a little happier than this group!

Numerical Scores
Every category improved from 2013!  Overall Satisfaction improved 14% from 2.83 to 3.22  The average of all scores in all categories improved 13% to 3.11  Both scores average in the Strongly Satisfied category.

The lowest scoring categories were quality of food provided by dining and care in the Apostles Center for Care.  Both garnered 2.5.    Quality of food improved 11%  from 2013 while care in the Apostles Center remained constant.  Please remember that a 2.5 is between satisfied and strongly satisfied; so while it is the lowest score, it is still a positive score!    

The service areas that recorded the highest levels of increased satisfaction were:
Upkeep and Repair of Buildings:   19%
Care in the Infirmary:  21%
Appearance of Grounds and Landscaping:  22%
Housekeeping Services in the Common Areas:  26%

As has been the case, the two areas of service with the highest overall scores were Staff Friendliness and Helpfulness and Transportation.  Both scored a 3.6.  Runner up was Snow Removal with 3.5.

Comments
Hundreds of comments were submitted with the survey.  They include criticisms, praise and suggestions.  All of the comments have been scrutinized by the leaders of Homestead Village and will be shared with the Board of Directors. The comments will be grouped according to popularity, cost effectiveness and strategic planning. Those deemed to improve Homestead Village's quality service and can be implemented within our budget parameters will be pursued immediately.  Others will help to shape our ongoing strategic plan and be placed on the wish list for future years.

This systematic feedback from residents is critical to ensure the highest quality service for the residents of Homestead Village.  Your participation is greatly appreciated.

Homestead Village Home Care Making A Difference

Homestead Village's mission is to enhance the independence and dignity of each person we serve.   We fulfill this mission every day throughout Homestead Village, providing assistance to those who need or desire such services.  In the Apostle Center we provide five star staffing every day.  Our staffing is just as strong in our memory support areas, including both nursing and life enrichment.  We delight in serving supportive services residents in their apartments, allowing them to enjoy their home as long as possible.

The last piece of our caring puzzle is our home care agency.  Homestead Village Home Care provides housekeeping, laundry, dining services and nursing in our cottages, Villa Court and The Mews.  Homestead Village Home Care also serves the surrounding community, providing assistance to older adults in nearby neighborhoods.  Our home care is led by a team of dedicated and capable individuals.  Homestead's Executive Director, Carol Carter, oversees the Home Care Agency.  Home Care has been the special project of Carol Carter who created the agency and has overseen its growth since the beginning. The day to day operations are handled by Catherine "Kit" Reese.  Kit joined the Homestead Village team last year and supervises, hires and schedules the home care team members.  Kit has over 25 years of home care experience and comments that she has never worked in a more friendly environment.  She enjoys getting to know the residents and has been surprised by how interested the residents were in her.  Of course a key home care team member is our Homestead Village MVP, Kathy Bartels, who is featured in this issue.  Carol,  Kit and Kathy, as well as are many other fine home care team members, embody the mission and vision of Homestead Village.  Our goal and desire is to bring professional, quality and timely service to your home if and when you need it.

Springtime at Homestead Village - so much to see and do.

We experience beautiful seasons in Lancaster County and there is endless beauty around Homestead Village in April and May.

Homestead Staff running in  Dorwart Park
and the Lancaster County Conservancy

A short trip in any direction opens up a host of scenic opportunities.
To the north is Noel Dorwart Park (Mr. Dorwart was a beloved member of the Homestead Village community) and the Lancaster County Conservancy. Together they form a delightful place to hike, run, walk your dog or just enjoy nature. Our employee Couch to 5K participants have spent hours running the trails in these parks and it is a favorite destination!  To our east is Conestoga House and gardens, the beautiful homes along Marietta Avenue, Franklin & Marshall College, Buchanan Park, the North Museum and all of historic downtown Lancaster.  There are an endless number of places to explore, hike and visit.

Franklin and Marshall College

Conestoga House and Gardens

Historic Lime Spring Farm

Directly to our west is historic Lime Spring Farm and its beautiful buildings, currently being re purposed as a small village hub with recreation facilities, restaurants, walking paths and a Bed and Breakfast.

Finally directly south is our own
Rader Park, a ministry of Church of the Apostles, Rader Park has picnic areas, walking trails, a stocked pond, a scenic creek, organic gardens, and many recreational and educational activities,

Downtown Lancaster

Homestead Village is truly located in the center of a very active and vibrant area to live, work and play.

Rader Park

Rader Park

Plow and Pineapple Evokes Heritage and Delicious, Nutritious Dining.

by Susan Doyle and Douglas Motter

In colonial times, The White Swan Hotel stood at the southeast corner of the square in the heart of Lancaster City.  When few were literate and news came by word-of-mouth, the hotel, marked with the image of a white swan, was a public house where travelers could find hospitality and locals could stop to catch up on the latest news.  Other Lancaster taverns, identified by signs hanging overhead from decorative brackets, included The Golden Lamb, The Conestoga Wagon, The Bunch of Grapes, and more.

Today, businesses continue to use symbols - or logos - that come to represent their organizations. Early in the history of Homestead Village, our logo was a stylized horse-drawn plow.  Long-time residents will remember the history that led to using that image.  Over 38 years ago, when Church of the Apostles broke ground for a new church building, congregants themselves pulled an antique plow through the earth.  That plow, donated by former Homestead Village resident, the late Martha Stoner, still stands in front of the church. 

The plow became our first logo in honor of the church’s role in the founding of Homestead Village. However, those who were unfamiliar with the farm-based heritage of our community had difficulty recognizing the image of the plow.  Since Homestead Village came to be recognized for its warm and friendly atmosphere, the pineapple - known as a symbol of welcome and hospitality - was incorporated into the logo, alternating with the plow in a stylish banner or border.  As the personality of Homestead Village evolved, so did its logo, with the pineapple today solely representing “enhanced senior living.” 

Plow and Pineapple has been chosen as the new name for our dining room by the organization’s leadership team, after a contest in which the Homestead Village community submitted dozens of names.  While there were many excellent suggestions, Plow and Pineapple met the unique criteria we desired.  The plow suggests the earth from which our food derives, as the pineapple symbolizes the bounty of our dining room.  The contributor of the name wishes to remain anonymous with the reminder that the space will always be where we come together for good food and good fellowship. 

In addition to honoring our past and present, the Plow & Pineapple also pays homage to the quality food we serve.  Fresh fruits and vegetables abound and wherever possible, they are sourced from our local farms.  Our new name reflects our promise to provide great food every day – farm fresh; natural; focused on health and wellness.

Plow and Pineapple will be represented with two distinct works of art.  The first will be the “pub” sign hanging outside the dining room.  It features the actual Homestead Village logos used throughout the decades.  The second artwork is a more artistic take on the name.  It will hang on the formal wall, inviting all to enter and enjoy a great dining experience.

Both versions capture the unique history of Homestead Village and unique dining opportunities our community offers.  

2015 Changes Will Reshape Homestead Village

Better electronic data utilization, safer buildings, more beautiful surroundings, more private accommodations, a new memory support house, expanded therapy space, and a covered entry are just a few of the new and improved experiences at Homestead Village in 2015.

April 1st, Homestead Village will begin our partnership with Phoebe Services Pharmacy and we will roll out electronic medication administration.  This is a significant milestone on our journey toward a completely electronic health record.  Not only will electronic medication administration provide a safer and more efficient system for passing medications, it will also bring all physician orders and notes into the electronic record where our nurses and therapists can better access and utilize them.

The apartment building renovation project jumped into high gear with the renovations of the common areas in full swing.  This project will be completed by the end of April and will result in a more beautiful Homestead Village featuring new carpet, paint, lighting, furniture and artwork along with updated lounges and lobbies.  Together with the renovated kitchens and bathrooms in the apartments, these improvements will make our apartment building a showplace of "aging in place" living.

New Two Story Stairwell will feature updated stone and siding facade

Another significant apartment building improvement is the "area of refuge" additions in each stairwell.  These changes to our emergency exits will facilitate our frail residents' ability to continue living in the apartment building and creates a safer environment for every resident, staff member and visitor.

Homestead Village's Apostles Center for Care, our skilled nursing residence, will be expanded with more private rooms and a new memory support house, Young House.  In addition, the Apostles Center therapy room will be doubled in size and a covered entrance will be provided that will also serve visitors to the dining room and Glasford Room.

Everywhere you look, great changes are happening at Homestead Village.

Living Our Vision - Unsung Heros at Homestead

The definition of a hero according to Merriam-Webster is a person who is admired for great or brave acts or fine qualities; a person who is greatly admired.  There are so many heroes behind the scenes that make Homestead Village a success.  Sometimes we take their contributions for granted.  It is probably impossible to identify all of these key individuals; but let's try.

In the midst of winter we need to start with our environmental services department who drop all of their other work to move snow and keep our community safe and operating.  Not only do they keep the roads clear and passable, they clear community sidewalks, parking lots, and individual home driveways and walkways.  Then they go a step further and clean off the snow from resident cars parked outside the apartment building.  Their conscientiousness and diligent work is remarkable.

Our next heroes are the resident volunteers who serve all around the community, providing very important functions.  Think of the volunteers who distribute internal mail to the cottages, Villa Court and The Mews and also help sort apartment, personal care and nursing home mail. We also need to remember all of the residents who volunteer on resident committees, performing a critical role to help make Homestead Village a better place to live and work.  Those committees give valuable feedback, solve problems and provide leadership and direction.  Residents volunteer in the gift shop, the store , the library and on many fund raising and other task forces. Volunteers in the resident wood shop help out many in the community and the shop was even expanded on two separate occasions by resident volunteers.

Woodshop Open House - Not only do resident wood shop volunteers
help the Homestead community, residents volunteered to construct
and expand the wood shop.

Many residents are extremely generous with their contributions to the Employee Appreciation Fund, which has such a positive impact on our staff members.  There are many other similar, beneficial activities that our residents and other stakeholders contribute to the quality of life at Homestead Village.

Then there are the countless acts of kindness our residents and staff perform on a daily basis to help those around them.  All of these examples point to the fact that members of the Homestead Village community practice our vision statement every day:

To serve all who come into our community with genuine and remarkable kindness, respect, and skill.  Our service is based on the hallmarks of individuality, continual improvement, engagement in the broader community, and commitment to complete wellness.

New Pharmacy Will Enable Electronic Medication Administration

Last month, Homestead Village announced a major change in therapy providers as Select Medical, a sister company to NovaCare will take over the therapy services in the Apostles Center for Care.  The goal is to create a high quality, unified, efficient and effective therapy service building on the corporate relationship between NovaCare and Select Medical.  The transition is going well as Select Medical has selected most of its therapists and will begin service February 1, 2015.  Many familiar faces will remain as a number of Genesis therapists have decided to stay with us and work for Select Medical.

One year ago, Homestead Village implemented a state of the art electronic health record, PointClickCare.  The benefits of electronic record keeping are too numerous to list; but the greatest benefits are enhanced communication and more efficient record keeping.  All of the benefits lead to better quality care!  The last, major piece of the electronic health record to be implemented is the electronic administration of medications.  Rather than the current outdated method of documenting on paper, the new electronic charting method helps to identify the resident and the medications and tracks all aspects of the process, leading to less errors and better outcomes.


To implement eMAR (electronic medication administration record-keeping), Homestead Village will be partnering with a state of the art company, Phoebe Services Pharmacy.  Phoebe Services Pharmacy was one of the early test pharmacies for PointClickCare and as such has a wealth of knowledge and experience with PointClickCare.  Phoebe also has a team of trainers on their staff to ensure the best possible implementation of the eMAR system.  In addition Phoebe offers both census integration and orders integration with PointClickCare.  Orders integration is one of the other critical benefits of switching to an eMAR system.  It means the integration of physician orders into the PointClickCare system.  Much like the medication administration records, physician orders are currently printed separately by the pharmacy and only exist in paper form.  Now physician orders will be fully integrated into the electronic health record.

Phoebe Services Pharmacy has a great customer service culture and will provide our residents and their families with great service and consultation, especially when it comes to determining which formulary and which Medicare Part D plan is best for you.  Phoebe Services Pharmacy is a subsidiary of Phoebe Ministries, a high quality, non-profit, charitable, senior living organization based in Allentown, Pennsylvania.  Homestead Village will receive outstanding service from Phoebe Services' pharmacy location in East Petersburg, just a few minutes from our door!