Category: News

 

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In our 50 years, we have seen the world of business and technology change around us in ways we never could have imagined.  What gives us our staying power?  While it’s true that there will always be a need for human services no matter how much the world changes, what keeps us going and keeps us strong is our amazing workforce.  

Take a look at some of the household names and everyday technologies that have come into existence since CSG opened its doors. Some of these businesses have come and gone, but CSG is stronger than ever! Did anyone else ever own an Atari game console? 

Atari: 1972

Apple: 1976

Costco: 1976

Call Waiting: 1976

Home Depot: 1978

The Cordless Telephone: 1980

First Nintendo Console: 1980

Whole Foods: 1980

The Weather Channel: 1982

First Sega Console: 1983

Papa John’s Pizza: 1984

AOL: 1985

First Laptop: 1985

Five Guys Burgers & Fries: 1986

Internet Becomes Publicly Available: 1991

World Wide Web: 1993

Blockbuster Video:  1994

Amazon: 1994

EBay: 1995

Palm Pilot: 1996

Dolly the Sheep was cloned: 1996

Netflix: 1997 

Google: 1998 

Bluetooth: 1998

Napster: 1999

First Broadband Connection: 2000

Paypal: 2000

Pandora Radio: 2000

Wikipedia: 2001

LinkedIn: 2002

First BlackBerry: 2002 

Tesla: 2003

Myspace: 2003

Facebook: 2004

YouTube: 2005

Etsy: 2005

Waze: 2006

Twitter: 2006

Spotify: 2006 

First iPhone: 2007

Uber: 2009

Venmo: 2009

WeWork: 2010

Instagram: 2010

Pinterest: 2010

Snapchat: 2011

Siri for iPhone: 2011

Impossible Burger: 2011

Instacart: 2012

Lyft: 2012

DoorDash: 2013

Slack: 2013

Alexa for Amazon: 2014

Google Assistant: 2016

A friend of mine shared an article talking about the 1 year anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic. The article prompted the reader to reflect on how their lives have changed over the past year, an exercise that allows for self-reflection, taking stock of where we are now and how we have changed. It has been a difficult year for most, and I think going through an exercise such as this can be helpful to process what we have all gone through. As I reflect back, the one word that keeps coming to mind is “resilience”.

Let’s take a minute to think about where we were last year at this time. I suspect most of us can distinctly remember two separate phases: before the lockdown, and after.  The week prior, I got together at a restaurant with some friends and colleagues from work.  It seemed just a routine thing, because it was.  My wife and I were planning to go to “IrishFest” in Jim Thorpe and  “Kinky Boots” at the Fulton Theater.  There was talk of a new virus, but it seemed like a faraway problem, and not something that was going to impact me directly. 

Then the announcements came that made the COVID-19 pandemic real for all of us. Plans cancelled.  School closed for 2 weeks, then another 2 weeks, then the rest of the year.  We were told to stay home except for basic necessities and essential work. Wash your hands for 20 seconds every hour.  Everything needs sanitized, everything could have the virus on it.  Mixed messages about masks. Gloves or no gloves?  Quick, stock up on toilet paper before the stores run out!  Our world was changing so quickly.

At work, we had to figure out how to continue our essential services, and we were asking “how am I going to take care of those in our services when I can’t get near them?”  Pretty much overnight, the feds, the state, and the various insurances allowed for virtual services.  We didn’t do much of this before or have systems/routines in place to do that, but we have to, so we make it happen, and we did.  Many of you had to figure out service delivery in your programs. 

As the pandemic continued through summer and fall, we found ways to adapt at home and work as the expert guidance changed.  We kept our distance. Getting together involved keeping six feet apart, wearing masks, and risk spreading COVID-19.  Many holidays were essentially cancelled.  While we “zoomed” with family and friends, it wasn’t the same.  I got out of my usual workout routine, putting on the “COVID 19”.  At work, Google Meets are fine, but I miss interacting with colleagues and patients in person.  I’m in the office, but sometimes it feels like I’m alone anyway, since most of the day my office door is shut while I see patients virtually.  I’m not necessarily lonely, but I miss the in person interactions. 

But I am grateful and hopeful. Many have experienced painful losses this past year, but I was fortunate in that perspective. My heart goes out to those personally impacted.  In addition to the physical toll, this past year has seen significant increases in anxiety and depression, and it may take some time before we truly understand the mental health impact of COVID-19.  I am grateful that I and CSG are in the position to help our employees and clients navigate through today’s challenges.  I appreciate the resilience I see around me. We have all adapted in our personal and professional lives, and taken care of each other when needed. It’s amazing to consider the scientific breakthroughs that have given us vaccines and the innovative ways we are seeing to deliver them. Who would have thought the old BonTon space at the mall would be a mass vaccination site?  As the vaccine rollout quickens it offers the promise of easing restrictions and re-opening previously taken-for-granted social activities.  I am very much looking forward to the return of live events, such as sports and theater.  Live music.  Get togethers with friends.  VACATION!  And noise in the hallway outside my office with my door open whenever possible. 

My hope is that we continue to be resilient and help each other when that becomes difficult. By the way, I’m also committing to getting back in shape and dropping that “COVID 19”.

 

Dr. Adam Biuckians,  Medical Director 

November is National Family Caregivers Month.  This is the time recognition is given for all those who are caregivers and who play a role in supporting and caring for other family members who may have a physical disability or other impairments that impact their ability to care for themselves.   According to a proclamation issued by the White House in October, it is estimated that more than 40 million people in the US are unpaid caregivers.  Eighty percent of adults requiring long-term care currently live at home in the community, and unpaid family caregivers provide 90% of their care. Family caregivers serve as a critical extension of the U.S. healthcare system, and the demand for family caregivers is expected to increase during the next few decades. Caring for loved ones is associated with several benefits, including personal fulfillment; however, caregiving is also associated with physical, psychological, and financial burdens.

This month we want to share with our employees about one of CSG’s services, known as CAPS or the Caregiver Assessment and Planning Service.   Recognizing the unique needs of older adult caregivers of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, Lancaster County Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (BHDS) issued a request for proposals in November 2018 to partner in the development and implementation of an innovative assessment program.  The program would be designed to reduce individual and family/caregiver stress by planning for emergency situations.   The program specifically targeted caregivers over the age of 60 providing care to their adult child.   Always eager to develop services to meet the needs of others, CSG responded to the request for proposals and was selected to provide this new service.   CAPS became operational in the summer of 2019.   The CAPS program is designed to assess older caregiver stability in their current role of providing support/s to adult individual/s with ID; develop a comprehensive plan for the continuation of care for the person with ID in the event of the incapacitation of the caregiver/s; and recommend community-based resources to help support the caregiver/s in their role. 

Kelly Fisher, who has been with CSG since 1989, is the Caregiver Assessment Coordinator for CAPS, working with Susan Martinko the Director of IDD Services for Lancaster County.   Dr. Kelly Carney, a licensed psychologist specializing in services for older adults, is the consultant to our program. Kelly Fisher currently works with six families or individual caregivers, and has supported 18 clients since the program began.    Kelly has shared one of her success stories to explain what she does in her role:

“One of the first referrals was a couple.  A husband and wife.  The husband is considered the caregiver and he is several years older than his wife, who was actually in our apartment program almost 40 years ago when they started dating.  They live on a fixed income which is very limited. It had been suggested that he might be showing signs of dementia.  The husband has always taken the lead in terms of managing everything to do with their lives such as paying bills, getting medication refills, etc.   Their primary concerns were how to assure the wife would be ok in the short-term should anything happen to the husband, finding affordable legal help to prepare living wills, and finding reliable help with filling medication minders.  We recommended that he teach her about the bill paying process, because, truth be told, he had developed some short cuts.   For example, his way of paying the bills is to go to the bank, give a familiar teller the bills and have the teller make out the checks for him, so having the wife do the same was very feasible.   We also got them to set up prepared dose prescription delivery which eliminated the need for weekly help from a home health agency, which had been inconsistent. Several months ago, the husband had to be hospitalized which put things to the test.  As it turned out, the wife  was able to take care of the things she had simply relied upon her husband to take care of for the past 38 years.    We were also able to find a very affordable, little known resource for legal help through the Office of Aging.”                       

 

 

 

 

 

Mental Health Awareness Month was first formed in 1949 with the intent to educate and raise awareness when it comes to mental illness. While there are still stigmas today surrounding mental health, there have been major strides towards improvement as 1 in 5 people will struggle with mental illness at some point in their lives.

While a lot of efforts to stay healthy in light of COVID-19 have been focused on physical health, checking up on our mental health during this pandemic has become increasingly important as well. Feelings of anxiety, fear, isolation, and loneliness brought on by the novel coronavirus can be detrimental to mental health and negatively impact overall healthy living. Combating these mental health obstacles is essential to our wellness.

With nicer weather right around the corner, it is important to take time outside as many of us have been confined to our homes for the past few weeks. Connecting with family and friends via technology can help to combat some of the feelings of isolation and loneliness. Creating space to have time alone is crucial as well, as a significant number of us live with roommates, spouses, partners, or children that can make space a limited commodity. 

Here at CSG, we care about your mental well-being and offer resources dedicated to mental wellness.  If you find that you or someone in your family has been struggling with their mental health and would like to receive counseling on concerns such as stress management, anxiety, depression, or substance abuse, please contact us.