Sign of the times

HCR ManorCare is geared up for more community involvement

A traditional skilled nursing facility is brightening up its image in some unexpected ways.

HCR ManorCare King of Prussia recently donated a sign bearing the name of the provider of short-term, post-hospital services and long-term care to signify its generous donation to the Upper Merion Area High School football program.

The sign, which was placed beneath a scoreboard, was dedicated before a recent football game at the school, by a gathering of ManorCare and school employees.

“We did the sign dedication to show the commitment that Manor Care is making to Upper Merion,” noted ManorCare Julie Lindelow, HCR ManorCare

Human Resources director.

“We’ve never done a sign dedication or partnered with a sports team, so we’re really trying to connect with the community more,” Lindelow said.

The youthful presence of volunteers is a true morale booster when the students visit ManorCare, she added.

“We’ve been looking at different ways that we could partner with the school district. We’ve had the Girl Scouts here, the school orchestra, an Irish dance group, and the basketball team, who came in their uniforms with their coach during the Final Four. Barb Reigel (Manorcare administrator) and I both live in the township and we just felt that it would be great if we did something that everybody could be a part of. So, a lot of our events now are geared toward the community.”

Community outreach is good for business as well as the community,” Lindelow noted.

For anybody that lives in any type of skilled nursing facility, it’s never a choice for anybody, it’s always last resort living. But you want to make it more fun, and make it a great place to be if you do have to put a loved one in a facility,” she added. “There’s that peace of mind that ‘wow, they’re so involved in the community and the kids are so welcome there and they support the sports programs.’ And then they think of us as a partner in the community.”

HCR ManorCare is a leading provider of shortterm, post-hospital services and long-term care with a network of more than 500 skilled nursing and rehabilitation centers, memory care communities, assisted living facilities, outpatient rehabilitation clinics, and hospice and home health care agencies.

These locations operate primarily under the names Heartland, ManorCare Health Services and Arden Courts.

HCR ManorCare King of Prussia is located at 600 W. Valley Forge Road, King of Prussia.

“We’ve been looking at different ways that we could partner with the school district. We’ve had the Girl Scouts here, the school orchestra, an Irish dance group, and the basketball team, who came in their uniforms with their coach during the Final Four.”

_Julie Lindelow, HCR ManorCare Human Resources director

CARMELLA ZELLI PHOTOGRAPHY Celebrating the dedication of the ManorCare sign at Upper Merion Area High School’s football stadium are, left to right, Robert Devers, High School Athletic Director; Frank Karkoska, Asst Football Coach; Joy Feliciano, Middle School Athletic Director; Alice Hope, School Board President; Adam Slavin, Middle School Principal; Melissa Galvan, ManorCare C.N.A. and UMASD School Board member and daughter Shaylan Galvan, Upper Merion cheerleader; Barbara Reigel,Administrator for ManorCare King of Prussia; Dr. John Toleno,Superintendent of Schools; Julie Lindelow, Human Resources Director and sons Vincent, Rocco, and Nicholas, Upper Merion Football; Jonathan Bauer, High School Principal; Tenia Fisher, LPN MDS Coordinator with sons Justin and Will, Upper Merion Football, and the Upper Merion Viking mascot.