SCS proudly announces the Family Caregiver Support Program’s new Program Manager for Caregiver Support Services—Heather Dale.

Heather, who has worked as a Care Manager in SCS’s Long Term Care Department since May, 2009, is excited about her new position and her upcoming plans for it.

“My main objective is to expand our support groups. One possibility is creating a telephone support group, which would allow more caregivers to participate,” she said. “I am currently researching how other agencies have used this system. This is a major goal of mine.”

The favorite part of her job is advocating for caregivers and their families, which is what the Family Caregiver Support Program is all about.  “It is a large commitment to care for someone,” says Heather. “Being a caregiver is an important and demanding job. We are here to support those caregivers and help them in any way possible.”
While FCSP is a main component of Heather’s responsibilities she is also focusing on getting a new program off the ground and running: The Caregiver Consultation Service.

The new initiative is designed to assist caregivers who live at a distance or who are juggling numerous responsibilities. For a fee, a care management professional will map out a care plan and offer assistance as needed.
“For people that need help in a hurry, or who cannot be present for assessments and home visits, CCS is a an amazing tool for caregivers,” she said.

Before coming to SCS, Heather was in an entirely different field. She is a self-described “career changer.”
She attended Northeastern University in Boston, receiving a Bachelor’s in Journalism. She also participated in the school’s co-op program, working at The Boston Globe.
“After I graduated, I worked on the paper’s Investigative Team. The series I contributed to “Debtor’s Hell” was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.”  The team won the Public Service Award from the Society of Professional Journalists and was a finalist for the Goldsmith Prize.

Heather, a native of Southeastern Massachusetts then moved to Florida, where she met and married her husband, Kevin. Both were newspaper reporters.   They relocated to Pennsylvania in November 2008. At that time, Heather sought a career that allowed her to actively help others, which brought her to Senior Community Services.
Heather and husband, Kevin, have a sixteen-month-old daughter named Nora. When not working, Heather likes to cook, and spend time with her family. She also likes to read—that is when she can find the time, with a busy toddler. Photography is another love, but Heather admits to taking more pictures of Nora these days than of anything else. An avid baseball fan, Heather roots loyally for the Red Sox during good times and bad.   “But since we moved to Delaware County, I have started cheering for the Phillies,” she confesses. “I tell everyone that they are my National League team.” 

In addition to her new role, Heather is involved with the SCS Connection newspaper as well as marketing for SCS.
“I love what I do,” she said. “My goal has always been to help people. I hope that with some hard work and creativity, FCSP and CCS will continue to support caregivers. They need us.”