Welcome Home Wanda!!

Katrina Stirn • April 4, 2022

A New Home for Wanda!!

Home in time for Christmas! After almost 4 years in a nursing facility, Wanda is home with her loving family. On her way out of the building she yelled "WOOHOO!" She couldn’t say, "Gracias" enough during our meeting today, Monday, December 26, 2021. She kept saying "thank you, thank you, thank you."

Wanda originally entered the facility for wound care after cancer surgery. She is well-healed now, but due to COVID she had been quarantined and had not been walking, which caused her to become weak. Wanda's daughter and personal assistant dedicated their time to help Wanda through the rehabilitation process in order to increase her level of strength so that she could return home. She is already moving better!

Just before Christmas 2021, when entering her apartment, which is right next door to her daughter, son-in-law and 5 grandchildren, she was amazed. She said it looked like it was out of a magazine! Wanda's whole family reiterated that it will be a very special Christmas this year!!

The Disability Empowerment Center (DEC) is the Center for Independent Living serving Lancaster and Lebanon Counties in Pennsylvania. Stay tuned for more information on the Disability Empowerment Center as well as Centers for Independent Living!

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The Beauty of Support

By Jaclyn Nagle • November 2, 2022

The Beauty Of Support Everyone needs support and people with disabilities are no exception. We either had our disabilities for a long time or just acquired them. No matter what the situation may be, everyone, families, individuals without disabilities, need support. However, people with disabilities are either embarrassed to seek support or do not know where to go. First of all, don’t be embarrassed! We all may have different circumstances; things happen to us that we have NO CONTROL over. We all have had a bathroom issue in public even if you have a disability or not. It happens and if someone says they have not had that issue they are either not telling the truth or it has not happened to them – yet. The bottom line is that we all need support. There are ways to reach out to get this. It starts with you. Take a small step, Be honest. Reach out to a trusted friend. However, there are other resources you can reach out to and here are some suggestions: Find your local CIL. Many have peer support staff, or peer support groups. DEC has a monthly support group. Check out the calendar under "Events' or call our office for more information. Look for Online support groups – Online support groups are out there. Just a word of caution – make sure that they are run by reputable groups. Seek a group that has a shared interest in something you do. It does not have to be disability related to be supportive. When you do something you like or have an interest in you are meeting people who share an interest with and have that to discuss. Over time, you can make new friends. Some people need more professional support and there is nothing wrong with that. One good thing that came out of the pandemic was that telehealth is popular. You can now see a therapist on your computer, iPad, or cell phone. Most of them will take your insurance. Just ask. Telehealth eliminates the need to scheduling transportation or having someone go with you if you need personal care. These are just a few suggestions. You can also reach out to DEC anytime!