'In On A Gurney ... Out With A Walker'

Medical care available in a hospital is one thing. But what happens when a patient returns home and needs help to navigate daily life?

That was the topic on Thursday's  hosted by Dene Liott. Marty Bodner, chief operating officer at Family Caregivers Network in Pennsburg, was the featured guest.

Liott, who broadcasts the weekly show at noon Thursdays from in Pottstown, recently learned firsthand the benefits of in-home services.

She suffered a stroke and needed help once she returned home after treatment at Reading's HealthSouth - a rehabilitation facility.

"I took a little stumble," she announced on Thursday's show.

Liott said she felt "a different type of fatigue" on May 27 when she was taken to  emergency room. Upon arrival at the registration desk, she collapsed.

A medical diagnosis determined Liott suffered a blood clot near the back of her skull and a stroke. The condition left her with a balance problem.

She thanked the hospital's staff for prompt care and "effortless results."

Liott later went to HealthSouth for rehabilitation therapy. 

"I went in on a gurney and came out with a walker," she said. "How do you like that?"

Liott said all of her caregivers at HealthSouth were helpful. 

While that level of care is crucial for patients in such facilities, folks often need help for the transition back home, said Bodner.

"I think this was a really interesting firsthand look at how it works," Bodner told Liott of in-home care.

Family Caregivers Network teaches family, friends and volunteers to help patients at home, Bodner said. 

"We're hoping to train some community members ... We would love to get an army of volunteers out here," Bodner said. "If we train members of the community ... we can keep our elderly safe and in our homes longer."

Upcoming "What's Happening Live" shows:

Liott at noon on June 21 will host Jodie Daniels, assistant executive director at Chestnut Knoll Residential Care And Memory Care in Boyertown. 

At noon on June 28, Liott's show will feature the University of Pennsylvania's heart transplant program.

In other news:

• United Way Recognizes Volunteer Of The Year And Other Key Partners During Annual Champions For Impact Celebration

From the United Way - 

Philadelphia, PA, June 14, 2012 – Last night, United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania held its Champions for Impact awards reception at the Ballroom at the Ben in Center City.

Champions for Impact is United Way’s signature event for recognizing the contributions of local donors, advocates and volunteers whose dedication helps to improve education for our children and youth, create opportunities for families to achieve financial stability, and allow seniors to age with dignity in their own homes and communities.

During the event, Manus McHugh, manager of Retail Business Integration for Exelon Energy, was presented with the prestigious Volunteer of the Year Award.

McHugh is a member of United Way’s Board of Directors and chairs its Community Impact Strategy Committee.

In 2009, as United Way implemented a new funding strategy for the first time in seventy-five years, McHugh was a driving force behind this crucial process as the organization evolved and began driving real impact in education, income and health throughout the region.

Jill Michal, president and CEO of United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania, said McHugh is extremely deserving of the award.

“Manus constantly challenges United Way to be a leader in thought and action throughout our region because he truly believes in the work that we do,” Michal said. “He has taken the Community Impact Strategy Committee to the next level, and constantly brings out the best in everyone by inspiring and motivating each committee and board member.”

McHugh’s company, PECO and Exelon East, was also honored during the event, receiving the inaugural Vanguard Award for Excellence.

Established by Vanguard, the award recognizes a company that serves as a model of corporate citizenship and demonstrates an outstanding commitment to advancing United Way’s work through promoting and supporting the Community Impact Fund.

PECO and Exelon East were lauded for inspiring other businesses to drive collective action and encouraging and recognizing employees who give back to the community by sharing their time, talent and resources.

In addition to the Volunteer of the Year and Vanguard awards, United Way and the United Ways of the Delaware Valley presented the John C. Haas Regional Champion Medals to Distinguished Individual Honoree Mindy Holman and Distinguished Corporate Honoree TD Bank. Holman’s commitment to United Way is actually a family legacy. 

As the third generation of Holmans to chair United Way of Camden County, Mindy Holman has a driving force behind the Live United movement.

Over the past 18 months, Holman was co-chair of United Way’s merger design team, leading efforts to merge United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania with six other local United Ways from southern New Jersey and southeastern Pennsylvania.

The new organization – United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey – will go into effect on July 1. TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank, contributed more than $22 million through the TD Charitable Foundation, TD Bank community sponsorships and the Employee Volunteer program to support non-profit organizations in 2011, supporting work under one of United Way’s key focus areas – financial stability. 

Champions for Impact also served as a public celebration of United Way reaching its $48.5 million campaign goal under the leadership of the 2011-12 Campaign Chair Mary Stengel Austen, who received the Campaign Leadership Award. After accepting the award, Austen president of Tierney Communications, officially passed along United Way’s Campaign Torch to J. Gordon Cooney, Jr., managing partner of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP's Philadelphia office.

A complete listing of Champions for Impact award winners is as follows:

LIVE UNITED: Impact in Education - Xu Lin, Asian Americans United

LIVE UNITED: Impact in Income - Citizens Bank

LIVE UNITED: Impact in Health - Allen Glicksman, PhD, Philadelphia Corporation for Aging

LIVE UNITED: Impact in Basic Needs - Witnesses to Hunger

LIVE UNITED Award - Richard Binswanger, The ClearView Group

LIVE UNITED Award - Susan Van Buren, SEPTA

LIVE UNITED: Partners in Caring - CBS Radio / MayoSeitz Media

LIVE UNITED: Partners in Caring - Dechert LLP

LIVE UNITED: Partners in Caring - Vanguard Information Technology Division

Sally Lee Community Service Award – Dene Liott, community activist and advocate for aging issues 

Best Overall Campaign (companies with under 1,000 local employees) - AMETEK, Inc.

Best Overall Campaign (companies with over 1,000 local employees) - Independence Blue Cross

Best New Campaign - CliftonLarsonAllen LLP

Employee Campaign Chairs of the Year - Joe Geeter and Jim Crossan, UGI Corporation/AmeriGas

Campaign Cabinet Volunteer of the Year - Robert J. Keyes, Enterprise Holdings Inc.

Corporate Citizenship Award - IBM Corporation

Irv Sannit Labor Volunteer Award - Richard Howell, International Association of Machinists, Local Lodge 1776

Sponsors for the Champions for Impact Awards are Enterprise Holdings, PwC, PECO and UGI Corporation/AmeriGas.

United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania

United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania is part of a national network of more than 1,300 locally governed organizations that work to create lasting positive changes in communities and in people’s lives. United Way engages the community to identify the underlying causes of the most significant local issues, develops strategies and pulls together financial and human resources to address them, and measure the results. United Way is advancing the common good in southeastern Pennsylvania by focusing on education for children, income for families and health for seniors. For more information about United Way, please visit:www.LIVEUNITEDsepa.org.

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