Geisinger 65 Forward Health Centers deliver Easter flowers

SCRANTON, Pa. – Staff at Geisinger 65 Forward Health Center locations in northeast Pennsylvania brought some normalcy and brightness to a physically distanced holiday weekend on April 10 by delivering Easter flowers and care packages to patients in their homes. 

Two small teams delivered 150 flowers, offered at a discounted rate by local greenhouses and florists, to patients in the Kingston and Scranton areas. While delivery personnel was limited, in alignment with physical distancing recommendations, a larger effort to prepare care packages for patients included leaders and staff members from both health centers. 

Juliann Molecavage, associate vice president of quality and primary care services at Geisinger, said the initiative grew out of the need to stay connected to patients 65 and older — all of whom are considered at high risk of more serious complication if infected with COVID-19 — during the pandemic. 

“In addition to being vulnerable to COVID-19, many of our patients have multiple chronic conditions and need regular care to help manage those conditions,” Molecavage said. “About two weeks ago, the 65 Forward team felt we needed to call our patients to make sure they were faring well.”

The goal, Molecavage said, was to answer questions and ensure patients had their necessary medications. The team also offered wellness resources and home delivery of food and essential items to limit patient exposure to public places. 

The team identified 110 patients in need and assembled packages that contained at-home exercise guides, educational materials, shampoo, conditioner, soap, hand sanitizer, tissues, puzzle books, adult coloring books, and a refrigerator magnet with emergency numbers for easy accessibility. Many of the home essentials were donated by local businesses. 

Since the packages were scheduled to be delivered on Good Friday, Molecavage and team thought it would be a nice touch to bring flowers as well. 

“Many of our patients live alone, have had little contact with people recently, and sadly will not be able to spend time with loved ones this holiday weekend,” Molecavage said. “We’re hoping this little extra gift will help them through this difficult and uncertain time, and we are grateful to O’Malia’s Farm and Darling’s Farm for their contributions and generosity.”

About Geisinger
Geisinger is among the nation’s leading providers of value-based care, serving 1.2 million people in urban and rural communities across Pennsylvania. Founded in 1915 by philanthropist Abigail Geisinger, the non-profit system generates $10 billion in annual revenues across 134 care sites - including 10 hospital campuses, and Geisinger Health Plan, with 600,000 members in commercial and government plans. The Geisinger College of Health Sciences educates more than 5,000 medical professionals annually and conducts more than 1,400 clinical research studies. With 26,000 employees, including 1,600 employed physicians, Geisinger is among Pennsylvania’s largest employers with an estimated economic impact of $14 billion to the state’s economy. On March 31, 2024, Geisinger became the first member of Risant Health, a new nonprofit charitable organization created to expand and accelerate value-based care across the country.  Learn more at geisinger.org or connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X.