The Ladies of Charity USA is VERY excited that our new venture has received a long-awaited state license and is making final preparations to launch our innovative non-profit home care initiative! Ladies of Charity Caregiving, Inc. is offering holistic high-quality home care while providing quality training and quality jobs to caregivers. Pittsburgh is the pilot city and the office is open at 7604 Charleston Ave., Rm. 20.

Caregiving is our mission and an important part of our history. The Ladies of Charity was founded over 400 years ago by St. Vincent de Paul in France. Vincent organized a group of women to care for the sick in their homes. Over time, hospital stays gained in prominence and a group of religious women, The Daughters of Charity, filled that need. Now, many more individuals are returning to their homes for care. As the Ladies have always done, we are responding guided by our mission of compassion and care to those in need. Tina Ondish, Caregiving Branch Administrator, states: “The Ladies of Charity’s vision is what made me want to be involved. I want to build relationships between the worker and the person needing our services.”

Marilyn Martone, a Lady of Charity from St. John’s University, is Chair of the Caregiving, Inc. Board and spoke so personally and eloquently at our recent Assembly in Pittsburgh. “We hear all the time from those being cared for, ‘I don’t want to be a burden.’ Those being cared for are not a burden, but caregiving CAN become burdensome.  As a society, we need to value caregiving; we need to change structures so that caregiving is respected as a valuable and important occupation in the holistic care of frail people in our communities.” The LOC Caregiving, Inc. Board has been working diligently for three years developing a caregiving model that will represent these goals.

Caregiving, Inc. is different from most home care agencies:

• It is non-profit. Any monies earned will go towards offering better wages and benefits to our employees and more care to those we serve in their homes. In addition to accepting Medicaid we will eventually also offer a sliding scale of payment for those who cannot afford the full rate.
• It is holistic. There will be mentors, who are volunteer Ladies of Charity, many of whom have spent many years in this field. They will ensure that the caregivers feel valued, offering guidance when needed. They will also be there to support the families of those who need care. For those who wish, there will also be a spiritual component to these services. They will treat the whole person (body, mind, and spirit).
• It is networked. There are over 1,500 volunteer Ladies of Charity in the Pittsburgh area. They will help to connect all components of this program. When using the services of LOC Caregiving, Inc., families served will experience a whole team of caring and talented individuals at their disposal. “The Ladies of Charity of Pittsburgh are excited to partner with LOC Caregiving, Inc. as mentors to the caregivers when asked, so that we aren’t losing our mission to guide them to meaningful work and improve their lives,” states Bernadette Jaketic, President of LOC of Pittsburgh.
• It is mission driven. LOCC is motivated to help satisfy a great need for quality holistic home care for the elderly and people with disabilities. Recognition of the dignity of the person, relationships and interdependence, the equality of all individuals, and trustworthiness are paramount to their care.

“Always, Vincent’s quintessential question is, ‘What must be done (to serve those who are in need)?’ This is the LOC charism and we are devoted to serving with the spirit of this mission.”

For more information, visit: Loccaregiving.org  

Editors note:  This is a group of Vincentian Family members who meet regularly at the request of the leaders of their respective branches. Their reflections do not represent Vincentian Family policy, but are shared to spur our reflection and action. Look for these contributions the third Thursday of each month. Comments are very much appreciated.