National Nutrition Month

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National Nutrition Month® is an annual campaign created by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. During the month of March, they invite everyone to focus on the importance of making informed food choices, developing sound eating and physical activity habits.

Eating right doesn’t have to be complicated. Before a meal, think about what foods you are going to eat. Choose foods that provide the nutrients you need without too many calories. Build a healthy plate with foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low-fat dairy and lean protein foods.

Consider the following tips to help you get started on your way to eating right:

  • Make half your plate fruits and vegetables
  • Make at least half your grains whole
  • Switch to fat-free or low-fat milk, yogurt and cheese
  • Vary your protein choices
  • Limit sodium, solid fats and added sugars
  • Enjoy your food but be mindful of portion sizes
  • Be physically active your way
  • Consult a registered dietitian nutrition

Get more information and see how you can be involved: https://sm.eatright.org/NNMinfo

March Staff Highlight

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Our March Staff Highlight is Hollie Orris, a AmeriHealth Coordinator serving our nursing home participants in Cambria and Somerset counties. She has been with AUCP for 2 years working out of the Johnstown office. Hollie graduated from Mount Aloysius College with a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice.

One thing you will quickly learn about Hollie is that she loves dogs, especially her own. Pictured to the right are her two rescue dogs: a German shepherd named Max (2) and a shepherd collie mix named Bowzer (9). Hollie enjoys reading, everything Harry Potter, spending time with her friends, and shopping and going on bus trips with her mom. She and her boyfriend like taking weekend trips, going to trivia, and trying new restaurants.

In her free-time, she manages fundraisers to help raise money for the St. Michael Fire Hall. Hollie is also on AUCP’s Fundraising committee where she attributes her time and talents to raising money for our Community Fund.

Her favorite things about working at AUCP are her coworkers and being able to assist our participants in living their best lives. The most challenging part of her position is that everyday is different. and sometimes you can’t provide an answer to the participants right away. If she weren’t a Service Coordinator, Hollie would like to work as a Vet Tech.

Hollie always works hard and goes out of her way to help others. We are thankful to have her as part of our team.

February Monthly Awareness

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National Heart MonthThe leading cause of death in the United States is heart disease. In fact, it is the cause of 1 in 4 deaths each year!

Help make a difference in your community by raising awareness.

Join AUCP as we wear red every Friday in February in honor of American Heart Month. We will also be sharing information on how to prevent heart disease. Follow along by searching #AUCPHeartHealthy on social media.

Managed Care Update

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Community Health ChoicesAs you may know, Community Health Choices (CHC) went into effect throughout the rest of the state on January 1st, 2020. As care professionals we understand how change to your health care can be unnerving at times. We would like to assure you that you are under great care with this transition as we have been through it twice before with other regions of the state.

You should expect that the quality of your services will not change due to this transition. We look forward to the future and the continued success of your in-home care services. If you have any questions or concerns about your care services call our offices at (844) 819-4455.

1.14.20 Blood Drive Update

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The Red Cross is dealing with a critical nationwide blood shortage. To help offset some of the need, AUCP held a blood drive at our Johnstown location on Tuesday, January 14th, 2019.

Throughout the day, we had 18 potential donors stop by to make their blood donation. Out of the 18, there were 9 successful donations made. That’s an estimated 27 lives saved!

We also had 13 staff volunteers that gave a few hours out of their day to ensure that the day was a success.

Thank you to each person that made a donation and/or volunteered your time. You play an important part in saving lives.

If you couldn’t make it out to the blood drive, we encourage you to schedule a donation today at your local Red Cross. While you’re at it, snap a selfie and tag us on all your social media platforms with #iBleedforAUCP!

Blood Drive 2020Blood Drive 2020

January Staff Highlight

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Our staff highlight for January is Donna Strause, one of the Service Coordinators who transitioned over to our agency from UCP Connections to Independence about 8 months ago. She lives and works in Selinsgrove, PA area, but is originally from Middleburg, PA. At the age of 52 she proudly graduated from Albright College with a degree in Applied Psychology with a 3.80 GPA (way to go Donna!)

Donna often finds herself surrounded by family and pets! She is a mother, a grandmother of three (ages 15, 12, and 9), and a foster mom to many animals through SOAR Rescue. She says her family is her heartbeat and frequents her grandchildren’s sporting events cheering them on! Outside of her family, Donna loves to workout, scrapbooking, and she makes it a goal to read each night before going to sleep. She is a vegan and prides herself on never eating another sentient being again.

Her biggest goal in life is to retire which she is looking forward to doing in a little over 3 years. Although we’ll be sad to see her go, we’re excited for whatever comes next. Donna says that if she weren’t a Service Coordinator she would teach daycare or pre-school, perhaps even get her Graduate degree in Counseling for at risk children and children with mental health issues.

Donna has been a Service Coordinator now for over six years. Currently, she serves Northumberland, Snyder, and Union Counties. Visiting her consumers is what she likes most about working at AUCP and the most challenging part is the paperwork that accompanies the job.

We are so glad that Donna joined us in 2019 with her skill and expertise. Anyone that meets Donna will find out very quickly that she is compassionate and kind.

Community Fund Success Story

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A few months ago we received a Community Fund application for one of our participants, Joyce Wilbur. Due to Joyce’s lymphedema and knee surgeries, she was having problems with swelling in her legs and was in need of a certain type of compression stockings. Unfortunately, her insurance was unable to pay for them and after reaching out to other community resources, she was still left without the stockings that she needed. That’s when her AUCP AmeriHealth service coordinator submitted an application on her behalf.

Upon reviewing Joyce’s unique situation and seeing that these compression socks were something that she needed for her health and safety, AUCP was able to provide a grant through their Community Fund to pay for the compression stockings. After receiving the stockings, Joyce was very pleased and so grateful. Compression stockings, although a seemingly small need, make a huge difference in her everyday life. She says that they have helped with the swelling of her legs and she is able to walk more with them on. This is great news for Joyce and now she is able to focus more on her everyday needs and health with her coordinator.

 

If you would like to learn more about AUCP’s Community Fund or would like to review the application process, click here.

Participant Highlight – Michael Kiel

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When he was just 19-years-old and a college sophomore, Michael Kiel just so happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. On a mid-April night in 1993, Michael was shot in the side of the neck outside of a convenience store, leaving him completely paralyzed from the neck down. This occurrence may have changed the entire trajectory of his life, but it did not change who he is at his core.

Michael has a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Masters degree in Rehab Counseling. Today, he works as a Rehab Specialist for the University of Pittsburgh School of Health and Rehabilitation at the Hiram G. Andrews Center in Johnstown, PA. His job is to work with other individuals with disabilities that are attending vocational school and he assists the students in identifying life obstacles. In his free time, Mike enjoys playing chess with his nephews and being with his friends and family. He has come to realize that who he is with is always more important than what they are doing. 

Over the last 20-some years, Michael has had a lot of time to think about his perspective on life, find a special sense of humor, and share his story with those around him. As a way to cope with his injury, Mike began to write about his life events before, during, and after his spinal-cord injury. In August of this year, he released his first book, “Challenge the Moment”, which is available for purchase on Amazon and in-store at Classic Elements in downtown Johnstown. This book serves as a memoir full of stories of his life and is said to be “brutally honest and painfully descriptive,” and at the same time “relentlessly positive, funny, and charming.” Michael says it offers a broader perspective on life and encourages the readers to enjoy the journey along the way.

As an agency that works with people with all forms of disabilities, whether they are disabled since birth or due to some sort of tragedy, we have to agree with Mike that perspective is such an important attribute to how one goes throughout their life. When we asked Mike what piece of advice he would give to our readers, he responded in the following quote:

“There is more in us than we know. If we can be made to see it, perhaps, for the rest of our lives, we will be unwilling to settle for less.” 

– Kurt Hahn

Thanks for being willing to share your story, Michael – there’s so much to be learned from the stories you’ve allowed the world to experience through your words.

 

Follow Mike on Social Media:

Facebook | Twitter  | Instagram

October Staff Highlight

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This month’s Staff Highlight is Corri McGinnis, from Team UPMC Healthchoices. Corri has worked with us for almost 3 year,

currently serving the Johnstown, Seward, and New Florence locations. She has a dual major in Public Health and Psychology from Slippery Rock University. One day, Corri would like to get a Master’s Degree in epidemiology and study the trends of diseases, as well as, our responses to public health concerns.

Corri lives in Strongstown, PA with her fiancé Jason, their 3 cats (Shadow, Foxy, and Mr. Fix It), and their two dogs (Gracie and Wrangler). Some things that Corri enjoys doing include going to concerts, seeing plays and musicals with her friends, as well as, being outdoors going kayaking, hiking, and biking. Her biggest goal in life is to travel as much as possible and experience new things. When they’re not working on house projects, Corri and her fiancé enjoy camping or planning their next vacation. This past June they traveled to the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee where they hiked a total of 35 miles and even got engaged!

Corri says that there are many things she enjoys about working with AUCP, but her top reasons include interacting with her participants and feeling like she is a part of a team that wants to make a difference in the community. The most challenging part of her position is the constant changes under the MCO’s.

There are so many wonderful things to say about Corri, she is truly a team player and cares about both her participants and her coworkers. With her cheerful personality and kind demeanor, Corri is a great benefit to our agency.

September Staff Highlight

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Each month, one of our favorite things to do is highlight one of our staff members. We take pride in the awesome work that they do and want to take a moment to show them off.

This month, we’d like to recognize Emily Chawtek. Currently, Emily works under the UPMC Community HealthChoices as a Service Coordinator in Blair County. Previously, Emily was our Referral Specialist walking individuals through the enrollment process and connecting them to available community resources.

Born in Pittsburgh, Emily now lives in Altoona with her husband, their 3 year-old daughter named Lucy (whom she’s pictured with on the right), and Bonzo the boxer. Emily graduated from Shippensburg University with a major in Sociology and a minor in Women’s Studies. When she’s not busy working, Emily enjoys crocheting, reading, swimming, and playing hide and seek. Her biggest goal in life is to travel as much as possible.

Emily has worked at AUCP for the past 7 years and says that her favorite part of being a coordinator is getting to know her participants and the resources Blair County has to offer. The most challenging part of her position is the paperwork! If she weren’t a coordinator she’d like to be a teacher.

Ask anyone and they would agree that Emily is phenomenal at any job that she does. She is known as having a super kind personality and her peers look to her for her honesty and helpfulness. Emily, thanks for all that you do. We enjoy having you as part of our team!