Allentown, PA, December 15, 2011 – SarahCare® of the Lehigh Valley has just announced that it will be hosting a 100th birthday celebration for Leonard Harding on Tuesday, December 20th. The celebration will begin at 10:00AM at SarahCare of the Lehigh Valley’s center at 7010 Snowdrift Road, Allentown PA.

Mr. Harding, a resident of Allentown, was born on December 20, 1911 in Jamaica. He worked as a woodcutter and carpenter, raising six children with his wife Clarissa. He has 18 grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, and two great-great grandchildren. Festivities at the center will last all day.

“This is wonderful milestone in Leonard’s life,” said Tynetta Alston, Owner of SarahCare® of the Lehigh Valley. “We’re so happy to be able to share this moment with Mr. Harding, and his daughter Carmen Sterling. We are looking forward to welcoming special guests from the city and county who want to wish him well.”

SarahCare®
In uniquely designed settings, SarahCare® provides an alternative to other types of care at a more reasonable cost. Nurses are on staff to administer medications and manage daily health needs. We offer mini-day spas, showers, rehabilitation and podiatry services. SarahCare® takes care of seniors with disorders such as stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and incontinency. We also care for seniors who are frail and isolated and feel more comfortable being in a safe environment while enjoying great food and activities with their friends. At SarahCare® we believe that the senior years are not to be endured but enjoyed. Experience our care during a free trial day! For more information about SarahCare® of The Lehigh Valley, please contact Tynetta Alston at 267-644-5635 or visit www.sarahcarelv.com

Written by Deb Miller, Sarah Care of Lehigh Valley

Thursday, 29 September 2011

Robin Peters was just another daughter, caring for her parents as they aged. Working, enjoying her life, stopping in at her home with groceries, fixing dinner, and enjoying her parents in the later years of their life.

All of that changed in 2004 when her father John had health issues and needed kidney dialysis. Her mother Betty had stopped walking due to arthritis and was wheel chair bound. Dad still was a big help, making sure that Betty was cared for, grocery shopping and dinner was started by the time Robin came home from work.

Her support system consisted of her fiancé’ Brian Lynn, her dad, and mom which kept her care giving to a comfortable level. Dad bought a wheelchair accessible van; so that Betty was able to travel everywhere they went, keeping the family together.

In 2007 dad had declined, and mom needed more help than what was able to be given if Robin was going to keep working. That is when she started looking into other options to assist her family.

Robin had made the decision to move in with her parents in 2008, but needed more help, that is when she found adult day care to take some of the pressure off of her father. Mother was never a social butterfly, her enjoyment was caring for her family, so it was not clear on how Betty would adjust to Adult Day care. Thankfully Betty has made many friends and discussion of the day she had, gave the family some laughter and stories for the evening.

Robin had been caring for her parents, but working was becoming difficult, and a choice had to be made to quit her job to full time care for her parents. Thankfully her boss was able to change some hours, work with her on accommodations for her case load, so between Brian, her dad and mother working as a team and the help of Adult day she was able to keep her job and do the best of care possible for her parents.

Late in 2008 her father passed away, leaving his wife Betty, Robin, and Brian to continue on. Robin had been very close to both of her parents, missing her dad she was becoming tired, depressed, but vowed to continue on caring for her mom. Again with the help of her fiancé’, her boss, Adult Day Care, and a little in home care to give Robin and Brian some alone time, she is still doing her best to keep mom comfortable in her home.

Mom is doing fine; she is declining a little, but still knows how much her daughter loves her, and who her friends are at adult day. She loves polka, any music, and playful with jokes at the center, and loves new participants that come to the center, she is our welcome participant.

This story is written with admiration for a daughter who is just like any other child. She has vowed to care for her parents in their aging years, for as long as she can, or until her care is not enough to give the best care to her mom. Robin is a wonderful daughter and I can only hope that all of our children will love us just as much in our old age. It is ok that not everyone is a caregiver but a good one such as Robin has the heart for it.