Comfort Keeper of the Year 2009 Delaware County, PA Rose Ritz, retired RN

Rose Ritz is a retired registered nurse who could have easily stayed home and enjoyed her retirement but Rose chooses every day to make a difference in the life of one our clients and his or her family. From learning her client’s interests and engaging them in their care to compassionately listening to family members who struggle to care for an aging loved one, Rose continually fulfills the mission of Comfort Keepers to treat every client as if he or she was a member of our own family. Every client Rose has helped has commented on her kindness and compassion. One family member wrote “Rose is the most generous and kind person I ever met. My mother looks forward to seeing her everyday. She gives 100% to her clients and for that I will always be grateful. I could never express how important she is in our lives. Rose is the best.” For continually being present with her clients, engaging them to participate in life and for her dedication and loyalty, Comfort Keepers is proud to announce, Rose Ritz, Comfort Keeper of the Year 2009.

Dana M. Breslin: she lends a helping hand to Delco elderly

A Delaware County attorney who finds senior citizens fascinating has been tapped by an advocate to provide vital legal advice for the elderly.Dana M. Breslin, of Wallingford, with a law office in Brookhaven, first met Carl Clauss, also of Wallingford, at a now defunct community service program about ten years ago.Clauss had launched a new program at Senior Community Services (SCS) a couple of years ago to assist the elderly with their financial, legal and medical assistance issues."Dana is my prime elder law attorney," Clauss said. "She handles most of the legal problems they are having. I'll talk to Dana or Linda (Anderson) and get some help with providing a source of information."We are very fortunate in Delaware County to have an elder law group who really are concerned about representing their constituency. If somebody is having problems with a home or taxes at their house, or I see they are having problems handling their own affairs, I call Dana."Questions on should someone have power of attorney can be answered. Living wills are easy, but seniors have to very careful,” Clauss said.Breslin, who co-chairs the Delaware County Bar Association Elder Law Committee with Anderson, received her bachelor's degree from Immaculata in 1972 and her law degree from Villanova University in 1975.1975 was a monumental year for Breslin who was admitted to the Pennsylvania Bar and became actively involved in the Delaware County Bar Association (DCBA) where she continues to serve on a variety of committees.Since 1996 Breslin has been deemed a certified elder law attorney by the National Elder Law Foundation. She is a Fellow with American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, an active member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA), and a member of the Real Property, Probate and Trust Section of the PBA.She chaired the PBA Elder Law Committee in 1999, was the first chair of the Elder Law Section of PBA in 2000 and continues to serve on the council of the Elder Law Section. For the last ten years, Breslin has been an active member of the National Association of Elder Law Attorneys.According to Breslin, the DCBA has a variety of committees to address special concerns including Elder Law, Family Law and others."We started the Elder Law Committee eight to ten years ago so we could have training and discussions on issues concerning the elderly," Breslin said, naming Medicare Part D as an example. "It's a complicated government system. Attorneys can be more aware."Breslin is a frequent lecturer and current vice president for the Delaware County Estate Planning Council.A faculty member at the Estate Law Institute, Breslin also serves on the board of the Pennsylvania Health Law Project and Senior Community Services Inc."I like reaching out to seniors who need help," Breslin said. "Some senior citizens get caught up in an economic bind and it started before the economy went sour. Some people are using their credit cards for pharmacy bills."Carl will call me when he's at the center and needs an answer right away or he has a Social Security problem. I'm not the only one he calls. Carl is excellent in coordinating."Breslin cited other attorneys on the Delco Elder Law Committee who have assisted Clauss including co-chair Linda Anderson, Harris Resnick, Cyndi McNicholas, Jeff Lewin, Rob DeLong, Janet Lis, Dave Hennessey, Mike Defino, Ross Schmucki, Mike Friedman and Bob Gasparo, who have all helped.Clauss has partnered with SCS, Widener University School of Law, the Elder Law Committee of Delaware County Bar Association, Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania and COSA, the County Office of Services for the Aging, to offer assistance to older adults.Both Breslin and Clauss have a special place in their hearts for the elderly who are particularly vulnerable to the problems that arise due to the lack of income."I wanted to focus my work on an individual basis to help seniors," Clauss said, noting he established the program together with other resources to assist senior citizens with all their problems."The Widener Law Clinic and the Elder Law Committee of the Delaware County Bar Association have been very supportive of the program," Clauss said. "Recently Professor Nick Nichols of Widener obtained funding for two fellowships this summer for two law students that have completed their second year. We have arranged for them to work with the elder law attorneys and me at the senior centers to expand our counseling program for legal, medical and financial help."According to Clauss, Widener is presenting a program for seniors on avoiding debt collectors."I like working with the elderly," Breslin said. "When I was in law school there was not anything on elder law. Older people tend to take more time. I find them fascinating; they have more life experiences."Breslin sees the biggest issue facing senior citizens is how they will pay for long term care."Their fear is that the nursing home will take it all," Breslin said. "The most recent problem, financial abuse of the elderly, starts with marketers who sell products like annuities, certain types of annuities, or the living trust mills to family members who are taken advantage of due to economic times."Right now Breslin is concerned about House Bill 1351 introduced by Dwight Evans regarding estate recovery."When someone 55 and older needs help at home or a nursing home, the state seeks to reimburse," Breslin said. "HB 1351 expands to non-probate access. The bill is really detrimental especially to the surviving spouse when a house is held jointly by husband and wife. The state would have an invisible lien. There's been a state outcry."Breslin continues to be at the forefront in developing continuing legal education courses for attorneys in the estate and trust areas and is the course planner for the Pennsylvania Elder Law Institute that encompasses the whole spectrum of estate and financial planning for the elderly.It’s comforting for Clauss and Delco elderly residents to know they have someone on their side.Dana Breslin, Esq. To read more about Dana go to: http://pappanoandbreslin.com/

This article appears in the August 6th edition of The Town Talk newspapers at: http://www.delconewsnetwork.com/articles/2009/08/07/media_town_talk/news/doc4a7b32fae379b628343628.txt

Local Comfort Keepers Owners win Presidents' Award at annual convention April 2009

COMFORT KEEPERS OWNER WINS NATIONAL RECOGNITION

Mainline, Philadelphia, Montgomery and Delaware County Areas – Clark and Sallie Bongaardt not only provide non-medical in-home services to area families, but were recently honored by CK Franchising, Inc. for their performance as Comfort Keepers franchise owners. The Bongaardts were recognized at the Celebration Dinner and Awards Ceremony during the Comfort Keepers Annual National Convention held in Louisville, KY in April of 2009.

Clark and Sallie received one of the top honors of the evening when they were inducted into the President’s Club for the fifth year in a row. Owners are selected for this honor based on several criteria including hours of service, revenues, and the adherence to the ideals and standards of the Comfort Keepers’ system. At the Awards’ Ceremony, Lisa Ripley, of CK Franchising, Inc., presented the Bongaardts with a crystal award to commemorate their achievement.

“Being recognized as one of the top performers in the Comfort Keepers system was a great honor,” said Clark Bongaardt.

In addition to the President’s Club award, Comfort Keepers of the Mainline, Philadelphia, Montgomery and Delaware County areas was recognized for hitting weekly operational milestones for hours of service provided to clients. “Ask any senior and most will tell you that they prefer to stay in their own home as long as possible,” said Sallie Bongaardt. “I am thrilled to own a business that can make their wishes a reality.”

Comfort Keepers provides in-home services on an hourly, daily or weekly basis with tailored care plans customized to an individual’s needs. Services offered include companionship, personal care assistance, meal preparation, light housekeeping, grocery shopping, incidental transportation, laundry, recreational activities, and more. All caregivers are employees and have criminal, driving, and credit background checks as well as personal and business reference checks that ensure dependability and reliability.

About Comfort Keepers
Clark and Sallie Bongaardt opened their Comfort Keepers’ business on July 1, 2002. Their office is an approved agency providing Medicaid services through the Pennsylvania Department of Welfare and the Delaware County Office of Services for the Aging. They are members of the Greater Springfield Business Alliance, the Delaware County Chamber of Commerce and the National Private Duty Association. Clark and Sallie are lifelong residents of the Delaware County area and have both worked in the area in the legal profession for over 20 years. Clark is a retired attorney and has been a member of the Delaware County Bar Association for 25 years.
Since opening in July, 2002, the Bongaardts have provided service to numerous residents in the area.

Founded in 1998 by a registered home health care nurse and her husband, the Comfort Keepers franchise system has grown to over 500 locations in 44 states, Canada, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and Ireland. Comfort Keepers has ranked as one of the top three franchises in senior care Entrepreneur magazine’s Franchise 500 for the past four years. For more information about Comfort Keepers, visit http://www.comfortkeepers.com/. Each office is independently owned and operated.# # #