Lutheran Social Services and Diakon Integrate Home Care Operations

Bob Rundle, Terry Shade, Mark Pile

Diakon Home Care has integrated its operations with Lutheran Home Care and Hospice, Inc., an affiliated organization of Lutheran Social Services of South Central Pennsylvania, York. The integration of three Diakon Home Care programs—Diakon Hospice Saint John, Diakon Home Health, and Diakon Help at Home—was effective July 1.

Lutheran Home Care and Hospice, Inc., will provide home health, in-home support, home health telemonitoring, and hospice care to individuals and families in the integrated programs’ existing service territories of north-central Maryland, south-central and central Pennsylvania, and portions of eastern and northeastern Pennsylvania. 

"Lutheran Home Care & Hospice, Inc., is committed to delivering health care and related services to help individuals recover from an illness or injury, live life to the fullest, and continue to live in their homes," said Terry Shade, executive director and CEO of Lutheran Home Care and Hospice, Inc. "Through this arrangement with Diakon, we will be able to help even more people achieve greater independence and improved quality of life." 

Diakon Home Health initially began as palliative care and was never configured to provide the type of home care that Lutheran Home Care & Hospice is able to provide. Thus, the integrated operations arrangement is a win-win situation for both parties. 

All 3 Diakon Home Care offices in Allentown, Wyomissing, and Hazleton remain in operation with no disruption of service to clients.