DA Calls Assault On Elderly Women In Clay Twp. One Of Lancaster County’s Most Heinous’ Crimes

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Lancaster County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The young man accused of torturing three elderly women Friday in their Clay Township home was apprehended swiftly because of collaborative efforts among local police.

That was the message Monday from Lancaster County District Attorney Craig Stedman, who led a press conference confirming a litany of charges against 22-year-old Dereck Taylor Holt, who is believed to have targeted the women solely because of his as yet unexplained hatred for members of the Mennonite faith.

“This is one of the most serious crimes that we’ve had in Lancaster County history, one of the most heinous crimes that didn’t result in a homicide,” Stedman said.

“I’ve been doing this for 20 years,” he said.

“To say that I’m shocked by this — we’re all shocked by this — is an understatement.”

Read more: http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/794078_DA-calls-assault-on-elderly-women-in-Clay-Twp–one-of-county-s–most-heinous–crimes-.html#ixzz2FSJdUNjI

110-Year-Old Pa. Widow Gets WWI Benefits Boost

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Cambria County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

EBENSBURG, Pa. (AP) — A 110-year-old Pennsylvania widow is getting a benefits boost because of her husband’s World War I service.

Family members say Alda Collins is now getting about $1,000 a month to assist with her stay at a nursing home near Ebensburg. She had been getting $36 a month.

Her son tells the Daily American of Somerset (http://bit.ly/OURXLU) that Collins lived by herself in a trailer until she was 106.  She can use a walker, feeds herself and knows the Pirates are in second place.

Read more: http://hosted2.ap.org/PATOW/5715a04f327d44b9b9ab039463c2d9db/Article_2012-08-13-World%20War%20I-Benefits/id-949930100c08497dae95b1159d0873fb

The Silver Tsunami: Retiring Baby Boomers

An excellent article from the Lansdale Reporter about what impact the gigantic retiring Baby Boomer generation will have on cities.

As a Baby Boomer, I found this very interesting reading.  Learning how cities are coping with increasing senior populations is important to me and I thought it might be to others as well.

To read the article, click here:

http://hosted2.ap.org/PALAP/d3444c3add384b05a39deb3258f13309/Article_2011-07-10-Aging%20America-Age-Friendly%20Cities/id-cc6478c041d742a7a6ef226c7c57db29

Northampton County Mulls Sale Of County Nursing Home

Northampton County is debating the privatization of Gracedale.  Gracedale is the county’s nursing home with 650 residents.

This would be a big deal as Gracedale is Pennsylvania’s second-largest nursing home.  There are 750 employees.  The reason for this consideration is the drain on the county budget.  $7.8 million to be exact.  Northampton County is looking at a $10 million budget deficit and possible 20% tax hike.  Ouch!

Gracedale has more beds than demand.  725 beds, 650 residents.  Employee benefits are also gobbling up the profits.  Can you say pension plan nightmare!

At this time, leasing the facility seems to be the preferred course of action. However, patient care would have to be guaranteed.  By leasing Gracedale, the county would be off the hook for the $7.8 million while receiving $2.5 million in annual revenue from whatever company would lease the facility.  $10 million deficit eliminated.  Selling Gracedale would generate $31 million for the county.

There seems to be a growing trend of Pennsylvania counties selling their nursing homes.  Carbon, Dauphin, Luzerne, Lancaster and Cambria counties have all unloaded their county nursing homes. 

Lehigh County has no plans to sell their nursing home but they are seeking ways to contain costs.