Ladies of Charity USA Launches Ground-breaking Caregiving Service in Pittsburgh, PA

The Ladies of Charity USA seek to make fundamental differences in peoples’ lives. Through our Ladies of Charity Caregiving project we will train caregivers, pay competitive wages, and deliver capable compassionate care to the most vulnerable among us.

The Ladies of Charity, founded 400 years ago by St. Vincent de Paul to care for those homebound by age or disability, is renewing its call to provide homecare through the launching of Ladies of Charity Caregiving, Inc., in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Since its founding, Associations of Ladies have spread throughout the world and have provided care to those who are vulnerable, recognizing in its mission that we are all connected and that our gifts have been given to us to share with those in need.

“At this time in our history a great need exists, which calls the Ladies of Charity back to its roots of caring for many members in our society who need help with their day-to-day living”, commented Marilyn Martone, spokesperson for the Ladies of Charity Caregiving, Inc., “Although our health-care system is excellent in providing acute, short-term care, there is a gap for those who are chronically ill or have a disability and wish to live as full a life as possible.”

With a national presence in parishes and communities across the United States, the Ladies of Charity are well-placed to serve a niche presence for an increasing number of patients and families desiring spiritual, physical, and social care. According to research, the total number of individuals needing in-home personal care will require an additional 1.8 million direct care workers in the coming decade. “This is a very timely undertaking,” added Suzanne Johnson, President of the Ladies of Charity, USA, “fulfilling both the need to train caregivers and bring them out of poverty to provide quality in-home care to the elderly and disabled.”

Launching the pilot in Pittsburgh makes sense as it represents the largest organization of the Ladies of Charity in the US, with more than 1,500 volunteers serving in the diocese. Peggy Keene and Judy Weismann, both members of the Ladies of Charity in Pittsburgh, have seen the Ladies’ presence and numbers increase in the last several years and were instrumental in taking on the commitment to serve as the pilot site. “Caring for the elderly of our parishes and communities has been a benchmark tradition of the Ladies of Charity of the Diocese of Pittsburgh. We are honored to have been chosen as the site for the launching of The Ladies of Charity Caregiving, Inc.,” said Peggy Keene.

The Caregiving initiative is scheduled to launch mid-year in 2018, providing homecare for clients and families on a private pay care model with a sliding scale for clients and above-market compensation for aides. We are currently looking for an Administrator for the Pittsburgh site (see the job posting here). “Although we will only open one office at a time, our eventual goal is that when someone, anywhere in the United States, thinks of quality, compassionate, holistic, mission-driven homecare, they think of the Ladies of Charity,” added Marilyn Martone.

3 thoughts on “Ladies of Charity USA Launches Ground-breaking Caregiving Service in Pittsburgh, PA

  1. Happy Sunday,
    Wonderful for Pittsburgh to be the first to launch the caregiving service. Can’t wait to hear more at the Assembly in September. They will be able to show other areas how to start the service where needed.

    1. Congratulations, LOC in PIttsburgh on being selected for the first site of the LOC Caregiving initiative! Your enormous membership and fine leadership will provide a wonderful success I am sure.

  2. So happy to see the LOC pursuing a Caregiver plan. As a Mom of a disabled adult daughter, it is very difficult to find good, trusting and Christian caregivers. Best of luck in developing this needed program. God Bless!

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