Allentown, PA - Margaret Teitsworth, resident of The Terrace at Phoebe Allentown, was one of only 15 recipients recognized with the 2013 The Lehigh County Aging and Adult Services Unsung Hero award. Offered annually in Lehigh County during National Older Americans Month, the award pays tribute to people over 60 who display exceptional generosity with their time and talent to enhance the lives of others.
Teitsworth, 91, received the award for her work as an Abider Volunteer at Phoebe Allentown Health Care Center. As an Abider she provides a spiritual presence to persons who are identified as "actively dying" during the last days and hours of their earthly lives.
When she completed the Abider’s training in 2000, Teitsworth said she had been looking for a service opportunity in which she could utilize her years of experience as a psychiatric nurse, hospice nurse and minister’s wife. “Becoming an Abider seemed like a natural step for me,” Margaret commented, “and to me, it isn’t depressing. Psychiatric nursing had been a wonderful challenge, and 16 years as a hospice nurse had been very gratifying. When we volunteer, we receive so much more than we can ever give.”
“Thirteen years later, Margaret continues to be our go to person who we call when a resident is nearing death,” says Phoebe Allentown Chaplain, Rev. Corrine Dautrich. “Margaret often stops what she is doing so that she can walk across the street to the Health Care Center to be with a resident despite weather conditions.”
Margaret is faithful about a daily visit to that person until they pass. Not only does she abide with residents and talk with the family members who may come to visit their loved ones, but she also attends the bi-monthly memorial service that honors those residents who have recently died.
“If there are no family members in attendance, she will come forward and light a candle for that person for whom she has abided. Through the years, many families have commented about how special her ministry has been to them at their time of loss,” adds Dautrich.
Part of the joy of being an Abider is seeing the spirit set free, according to Margaret. “When the spirit leaves the body, we are no longer limited by the body. A lot of people wouldn’t find joy in that,” she says, “but I am older, and my hospice experience helps. An Abider should be someone who can appreciate the joy of easing another person’s way into eternal life – someone who believes that we can trust God.”
This year, the award ceremony took place at the Lehigh County Government Center on Wednesday, May 15. The certificates were presented by Scott Ott, Vice Chairman, Lehigh County Board of Commissioners and Michael Schware, County Commissioner.
Allentown, PA – Pam Kleckner, Memory Support Community Life Coordinator at Phoebe Allentown Health Care Center, received the Alzheimer’s Association Delaware Valley Chapter’s PRIDE Award for Professional Recognition in Dementia Excellence.
This annual award, formerly celebrated at the Martin Luther King Recognition Event, is given to 18 extraordinary direct care workers at one of the association’s three annual conferences. The award is presented to honor one nominee from each county in the Delaware Valley Chapter’s service area. Kleckner received the only award presented to a direct care memory support worker in Lehigh County.
Kleckner was nominated by Wendy Hildenbrandt, RN, Director of Nursing at Phoebe Allentown Health Care Center, for the exemplary work she does on a day-to-day basis.
“She offers her time, talent and dedication to the memory support residents at Phoebe Allentown,” says Hildenbrandt. “Her strong commitment makes the program shine and she helps others to see a similar vision of exceptional dementia care.”
Pam helps residents to demonstrate self-confidence through Montessori programs while exuding warmth and love in all of her programming. She promotes community and family interaction through the quality programs she plans. These include a recent 65th wedding anniversary celebration, handicap accessible hayrides, community tours, drumming circles, trips to libraries and ice skating rinks.
She also plans good deeds such as food collections and involves the residents in the deliveries to the local food bank. They have also made a trip together to purchase materials for use in an intergenerational reading activity with pre-school children. “It is always her motivation to allow the residents to feel they have contributed to the care and support of others rather than always being the receivers of care,” adds Hildenbrandt.
Allentown, PA – Mary Rarich received the Mayor’s Volunteerism Award at a ceremony on Tuesday, April 23 in celebration of National Volunteer Week. The City of Allentown presented the award to 15 constituents at the Lehigh Valley Heritage Museum. Rarich attended with her son, David and Donna Henry, Volunteer Coordinator for Phoebe Allentown Health Care Center, the organization that submitted the nomination.
Rarich began volunteering at Phoebe in October of 1968 through the Red Cross. She was acknowledged for her 45 years of service at an annual volunteer lunch which took place the same day as the Mayor’s reception. At the age of 94, she continues to volunteer once a week.
During her early years as a Phoebe volunteer she made beds, shopped for residents, transported them to in-house physical therapy and doctor’s appointments in addition to leading a group of residents who helped with community service projects. She could often be found reading to residents, leading arts and crafts or assisting with the visually-impaired. Rarich also served as a lobby desk receptionist and as president of the residents’ council.
A resident of Macungie, Rarich now helps with paper work in the volunteer office and assists with Bingo in the memory support neighborhoods. She devotes herself to Phoebe, her church and to family and friends. Rarich is Phoebe Allentown Health Care Center’s longest-serving volunteer.
Allentown, PA- On Wednesday, March 20, 2013, Kelly O'Shea Carney, Executive Director of the Phoebe Center for Excellence in Dementia Care was featured in an informational article titled, "Responding to a Dementia Diagnosis". Carney focuses on the new guidelines for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease pointing out the most notable change in the guidelines, early identification of the disease. Carney discusses the past, present and future of identifying and dealing with Alzheimer's in this article, along with vital prevention and treatment methods and what Phoebe Ministries provides in terms of Alzheimer's care and support.
To view Responding to a Dementia Diagnosis in The Morning Call, CLICK HERE.
Phoebe does not discriminate in admissions, the provision of services, or referrals of clients on the basis of race,
color, religious creed, disability, marital status, ancestry, national origin, sexual orientation, age, or gender.
Allentown, PA – Pam Kleckner, Memory Support Community Life Coordinator at Phoebe Allentown Health Care Center, received the Alzheimer’s Association Delaware Valley Chapter’s PRIDE Award for Professional Recognition in Dementia Excellence.
Allentown, PA – Mary Rarich received the Mayor’s Volunteerism Award at a ceremony on Tuesday, April 23 in celebration of National Volunteer Week. The City of Allentown presented the award to 15 constituents at the Lehigh Valley Heritage Museum. Rarich attended with her son, David and Donna Henry, Volunteer Coordinator for Phoebe Allentown Health Care Center, the organization that submitted the nomination.
