Bygone days of elegance and refinement made a return at Homeland Center, as residents filled the main dining room for a spring tea.

Kettle-shaped cards printed with flowers invited residents, and a pianist playing “Tea for Two” and other standards set the right tone, as did the tables adorned in white linens, flowers, and embroidered handkerchiefs.

Residents embraced the mood, with the ladies wearing cheerful fascinators or headpieces and the gents boasting boutonnieres.

The tea was one of the quarterly events hosted by Homeland’s Board of Managers, the unique, all-women volunteer board is responsible for maintaining Homeland’s renowned home-like feel. Always presented with flair and creativity, events have included a casino night, a “Sound of Music” party, and a sock hop featuring an Elvis Presley impersonator.

Residents Ellen and Bill Wismer eagerly anticipated the tea.

“For our 45^th anniversary, we had the good fortune to have high tea at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, and I was really looking forward to this because I said it’s going to be just as nice,” said Ellen Wismer. “And it is. Everything’s to perfection.”

“[The Board of Managers] really put a lot of work into this,” she said. “Everything the board does is absolutely to perfection. They make you feel so special.”

Bill Wismer agreed: “It’s wonderful to be here with my beautiful wife.”

Board of Managers members freely devote their time and talents to plan and stage their events, said Chair Nancy Hull. For the tea, they organized a party of their own to create the boutonnieres and flower-bedecked fascinators, which gave the residents a sophisticated air.

Board members often have creative ideas about their future events, she said.

“That’s the neat thing about the women on our board,” Hull said. “Everybody has ideas. Everybody is willing to express their opinions.”

On the afternoon of the tea, Board of Managers members circulated, serving cookies, a choice of finger sandwiches – cucumber, egg salad, and pimento – and scones with jam and clotted cream. Wearing white shirts and black pants, just like restaurant servers, they carried colorful teapots they had brought from their own collections. One depicted – what else? – the Mad Hatter’s tea party from “Alice in Wonderland.”

Offered a choice of Earl Grey or raspberry tea, resident Joyce Muniz chose the raspberry.

“They make everything lovely,’’ Muniz said of the Board of Manager-planned events. “They go over the top for the residents.”

Resident Shirley Winfield is one of several Winfield family members living in or working at Homeland, including Director of Nursing Jennifer Tate-DeFreitas, who upholds Homeland’s standards of excellence in health care; Jennifer’s daughter Malani Tate-DeFreitas; and Kristen Tate, one of Homeland’s cheerful receptionists.

“They do an excellent job here,” Winfield said. “I love the many, many activities. It’s wonderful. It really is.”

Among all the activities – from musicians to bingo — the spring tea stood out, she said.

Residents Robert Zimmerman and Lynda Vinton, agreed the spring tea was a particular treat.

“It’s fun,” Vinton said. “It’s a nice thing to be out and about.”

Homeland Center (www.homelandcenter.org) offers levels of care including personal care, memory care, skilled nursing and rehabilitation. Homeland also provides hospice, home care, home health and palliative care services to serve the diverse and changing needs of families throughout central Pennsylvania. For more information or to arrange a tour, please call 717-221-7900.

Since she was a child, Chastity (Chaz) Anderson Spencer has found joy in helping others. Her kind heart and keen ability to put her compassion into action led Chaz to become a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) nearly 20 years ago. For the past 11 years, Chaz worked as a CNA for Homeland Hospice, a nonprofit hospice program that serves communities throughout central Pennsylvania.

Chaz connected with Homeland after she and her family relocated to central Pennsylvania from Bronx, New York. From the start, Homeland’s mission to provide high-quality, compassionate care aligned perfectly with how Chaz interacts with patients and their families. More than a decade later, Chaz still thrives on helping others.

“My patients lift me up,” Chaz says. “They give me more than I could ever give them.”

Over the years, Chaz has formed deep relationships with many patients and their families. She fondly remembers a woman who was in her last few weeks of life, and reminded Chaz to show herself grace and forgiveness when life gets challenging. For Chaz, this memory has become a mantra for life’s ups and downs.

Chaz enjoys participating in the Homeland Hospices 5K and Memory Walk which provides a safe and supportive event for families to honor their loved ones, while supporting the work of Homeland Hospice. The event gives Chaz an opportunity to reconnect with families she has worked with over the years.

“I love seeing the warm smiles and friendly faces,” Chaz adds. “It feels good to know I have helped others through my work.”

Homeland Hospice CNAs are an integral part of the care team and often get to spend the most time with patients. They provide personal care with tasks like bathing, grooming, reminding patients about medications, and assisting with light housekeeping. All services are customized to meet the individualized needs of patients and their families.

Over the years, family and friends have asked Chaz if her work weighs on her heart. She is quick to remind them of the beauty she sees in the love of families and the peace and comfort she brings to those in need. She highly recommends the CNA profession to anyone with a kind heart and open mind.

“Treat patients with dignity and always listen,” Chaz says. “Sometimes all a patient needs is a friend.”

The role of CNAs and the importance of increasing the number of people in the profession has skyrocketed as the Baby Boomer generation ages. To help meet this need, Homeland has an accredited CNA training program to develop current talent at Homeland as well as recruit and train new employees for all of Homeland’s work.

For more information about Homeland Hospice, call (717) 221-7890.

Arranging end-of-life care for a loved one following a hospital discharge is often confusing, filled with fear, and sometimes urgency. In difficult times like these, Buffie Finney, Nurse Liaison for Homeland Hospice, is there to help patients and families.

For nearly 30 years, Buffie has worked in the nursing profession helping to meet the diverse needs of patients in and out of the hospital setting. For the past decade, Buffie has been part of the Homeland team, which helps patients navigate their end-of-life journey by providing compassionate, high-quality care and support for family members. Buffie is a subject expert on hospital discharges and the pressure it places on patients and families.

“Sometimes patients enter the hospital with an unknown illness and receive a diagnosis of a terminal disease,” Buffie says. “No one anticipates hearing the end is near.”

Buffie and the Homeland team have built strong working relationships with local hospitals who often refer patients to Homeland. In other cases, friends or loved ones of the patient recommend Homeland based on their experiences.

“Homeland’s word-of-mouth reputation is strong,” Buffie adds. “We strive to provide excellent care and are honored to be top-of-mind in the community.”

The first step for the Homeland team begins by meeting patients, family members and physicians in the hospital to assess the patient’s needs. This initial meeting is informational to give options for patients and their families to consider.

Sometimes shift changes and early rounds make it challenging for families to connect with the patient’s physician. Clear and consistent conversations are so important for families to be able to make the best choices for their loved ones. With emotions and frustration levels running high, Buffie finds the most important thing she can do to help is simply listen.

“We want patients and families to share their emotions, ask questions and vent their fears and anger,” Buffie says. “In that moment, they need a friend.”

For patients who choose Homeland Hospice’s services, a care plan is quickly enacted for a seamless transition from hospital to home. All supplies needed are ordered to be delivered and set up at the patient’s home. Depending on the patient’s needs, the Homeland team can include a physician, nurse, aide, social worker, chaplain, therapist and volunteers. Homeland provides a holistic plan of care to allow families to spend quality time with their loved ones during this emotional time.

“We understand how difficult these conversations can be,” Buffie says. “We encourage everyone to talk about end-of-life care with their loved ones before they are in a difficult situation.”

Conversations had during non-stressful moments allow time for research, reflection and planning to bring everyone comfort. End-of-life will come for everyone so planning now can ensure a continuum of care for patients and peace of mind for family members.

Despite the emotional situations her job may bring, Buffie finds beauty and love in her work and great admiration for the Homeland staff who deliver outstanding service with heart. She became a nurse as a second career after her corporate job ended abruptly. She was a single mom with two small children balancing classes to earn her nursing degree.

“It was the hardest time of my life,” Buffie adds. “It was all worth it because I love this work and the families I meet.”

For more information, visit Homeland Hospice or call (717) 857-7400.