Annual fall fashion show ignites excitement Mercy LIFE adult day center at

SHARON HILL » As dozens of spectators lined the room, about eleven senior models, dressed in fall finery, strutted their chosen ensembles during the second annual fashion show Friday at the Mercy LIFE adult day center, 701 Chester Pike.

“This is the second year that we’ve done a fall fashion show,” explained Shalani Colon, a recreational therapy aide at Mercy LIFE. She continued talking with a smile, glancing around at the 55-plus-age models, with admiration, “And let me say, Sharon Hill really has it going on!”

Mercy LIFE operates five adult day centers in Southeastern Pennsylvania and serves nearly 1200 seniors daily. It began operating in 2001 and is the largest Philadelphia-area LIFE (Living Independently for Elders) program. Mercy LIFE operates two centers in Delaware County, Mercy LIFE Sharon Hill and Mercy LIFE Valley View, located on the Elwyn campus in Middletown Township.

Mercy LIFE, a member of Mercy Health System, is a nationally recognized program of all-inclusive care for the elderly providing comprehensive medical, health recreational and social services that are designed specifically for each person in an effort to promote independence at home.

“I really like coming here,” commented Helen Daniels of Glenolden, who has been a regular participant of the Sharon Hill center for about a year and was a spectator at Friday’s fashion show. “The people at Mercy LIFE are very friendly and they take good care of me. I came to the fashion show today because I am always interested in what is going on here. I am impressed today with how pretty the room looks with the decorations and how beautiful everyone looks for the show. I really liked watching the dancing because I used to be quite the dancer myself.”

The Mercy LIFE program enables seniors to maintain a flourishing quality of life, live in their own homes and receive the medical and social benefits that they need. Participants are picked up and brought back to their homes daily. While at the Center, they meet with physicians and rehabilitation therapists, participate in recreational therapy activities, take trips, socialize and eat two meals a day with friends. Clinicians ensure the seniors, who are accepted from every zip code area in Delaware County, receive medications, proper nutrition and are healthy and safe at home and in the center.

Molly Crumley, regional director of operations at Mercy LIFE, said that the Sharon Hill location has 230 participants and av

FASHION » PAGE 20

PEG DEGRASSA — DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA Evelyn Driggins of Chester walks confidently on the catwalk during the Mercy LIFE Center’s annual fashion show on Friday. Participants at the center, joined staff, to present a fun, musical show to a packed audience.

PEG DEGRASSA — DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA Shalani Colon, right, a recreational therapy aide at Mercy LIFE, introduces models Paula Attaway, left, of Sharon Hill, and Henry Lewis Jr., center, of Chester as they strut down the red carpeted runway at the annual Fall Senior Fashion Show at the...

PEG DEGRASSA — DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA Model Carla Smith of Chester stands ready to show off her fall fashion look to the audience gathered at Mercy LIFE Center in Sharon Hill on Friday. Smith said that she bought her ensemble at Macy’s.

PEG DEGRASSA — DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA Albert Aggar of Springfield gets a round of applause from the audience as he makes his way down the runway at the 2017 Mercy LIFE fashion show on Friday in Sharon Hill.