In June of this year, our ownSister Dorothy Gourley willcelebrate 22 years in theGuardianship Department ofUrsuline Senior Services. As the agency recognizes its 25thanniversary milestone, Ursuline isfortunate to have sucha dedicated employeewith almost as muchtenure as the organiza-tion itself. At the sametime, the GuardianshipDepartment alsowelcomes its newestemployee, ErinKoebler. Erin joins the department afteralmost four years as acare manager with theAllegheny CountyArea Agency onAging. To help Erinbecome familiar withher new position, SisterDorothy shared someinformation about the guardian-ship department and the agency.

Sister Dorothy was a primary andmiddle school teacher for 32 yearsbefore she decided it was “time fora change.” She was hired in 1985,about a year after the Guardian-ship program was created at theUrsuline Center, what the agencywas called at that time. TheUrsuline Sisters of Louisville,Kentucky founded Ursuline

Sister Dorothy Gourley Celebrates 22 Years at Ursuline Senior Services

Center after Sister Elaine Eckert,Ursuline Center’s first executivedirector, surveyed the needs of the Bloomfield/Garfieldcommunity and found a need for an agency to serve seniors.According to Sister Dorothy,

services were offered at UrsulineCenter when she was hired throughthe social work, protective services,and guardianship departments.

Sister Dorothy and her friend,Sister Winifred Reddington, bothinterviewed for the same guardianposition. Sister Winifred got thejob. A few months later the pro-gram expanded and fortunately

The Art of Aging:Legends of the Blues

On Friday, September 28, 2007,Ursuline Senior Services willclose its 25th Anniversary Yearwith a special evening of musicand artistry featuring THEMUDDY WATERS BANDwith Special Guest DAVID“HONEYBOY” EDWARDS.Complimenting Ursuline’s 25-year history of caring forolder and vulnerable neighborsthroughout the Pittsburgh area,this Art of Aging Celebrationwill provide an opportunity to focus on the continuingcreativity and productivity oflocal seniors, while offering aretrospective on the importanceof the Blues genre and itscontribution to all forms ofmusic over the last 60 years.The Legend of the Bluespackage we will enjoy is thesame performance that wasfeatured last year as part of thesold out “Legends of the Blues”show presented at LincolnCenter in New York City.

Art of Aging cont. on Page 6Gourley cont. on Page 6

Newest addition to the guardianship staff, ErinKoebler (left), gets to know the program and agency'slongest-tenured member, Guardian of Person Sr.Dorothy Gourley, CSJ.

25th Anniversary Issue

Page 2 All About Us • Spring 2007

Administrative StaffAnthony J. Turo, MPA Executive Director

Joseph Aul, MBA Guardianship Director

William Brickner, MEdDirector of Administration

Sr. Michael Mack, OSB, MHA Finance Manager

Michelle Smart, MS, NPM Protective Services Director

Karen Miller-Tobin, MEd, AARP Money Management Program Director

Roxann Tyger, MPACommunity Based Options Director

In addition to the administrative staff, thefollowing staff assisted in the developmentof this newsletter:

Kathy Garland Richard MurphyErin Koebler Nadine PcholinskyCatherine Paladino Hillary Wile

Reflect that in reality you have agreater need to serve [the poor]than they have of your service.

—Angela Merici

URSULINE CENTER, INC. was founded in 1981 by theUrsuline Sisters of Louisville,Kentucky. After the UrsulineAcademy of Girls merged with theLawrenceville Catholic Schools in1981, the Sisters wanted to find away ofcontinuingtheir 100-yeartradition ofservice to thepeople ofPittsburgh.

UrsulineSister ElaineEckert, a PennHills native and alumna ofUrsuline Academy, was designatedto do an assessment surveyto identify communityservice needs. When the survey was finished,the board of directors(Ursuline Sisters) chose toemphasize the followingprogram mix for the peo-ple who lived in the EastEnd of Pittsburgh:

• Senior adult services• Temporary housing• Child care• Employment• Educational/

recreational programs

A board of trusteescomprised of Pittsburghresidents was established to

operate thefacility. The firstdirector ofUrsuline Centerwas Sister ElaineEckert (1942-1997). The UrsulineSisters retained ownership of the 100-year-old mansion onWinebiddle Street and leased thefacility to Ursuline Center, Inc.Funding for the programming was obtained through foundationgrants and contracts with city and

county area agencies.

The following earlystatistics attest to thesuccess of Ursuline

Center and the need for theservices provided:

• In a twelve-month period,33,900 units of service wereprovided to approximately1,300 individuals.

• The Employment Bank madeover 100 placements per yearduring its first 4 years ofservice.

• The Child Care Program,with a capacity of 74children, operated at 90%utilization in its early years.

The Education Program was most in demand. Either on a one-on-one basis or in smallgroup sessions, classes rangedfrom the arts to personal growth

Sr. Elaine Eckert, OSU, (1942-1997) Founding Executive Director

History cont. on Page 3

Our Heritage – A Historical PerspectivePart I: 1981 through 1997

All About Us • Spring 2007 Page 3

to a wide array of leisurelearning opportunities.

Back in 1983 Pittsburghwas nationally recog-nized as a major medicalcenter and 12 of itsmajor hospitals werelocated with a three-mileradius of the UrsulineCenter. FriendshipHouse was opened withits purpose to provide anaffordable place to stayfor guests whose familymembers were hospital-ized nearby. (FriendshipHouse predated theRonald McDonaldHouse.)

During the first decade ofoperations, three of our existingprograms commenced:

1981 – Adult Services1984 – Guardianship1988 – Protective Services

The 1990s brought additionalchanges to the agency. In 1992, Sr.Elaine Eckert retired, and in 1993her assistant, Ruth V. Buckley,became the new executive director.Expansion in the GuardianshipProgram to include RepresentativePayee and Court Support serviceswas initiated. In 1996, newExecutive Director Pamela Esteswas appointed. The ProtectiveServices catchment area wasexpanded and the Senior Neighborin Need Fund was establishedunder her watch. As the ChildCare Program and FriendshipHouse closed, the remaining coreof services centered on seniorprograms.

Finally, two pivotalevents affecting thehistory of the agency occurred inthis decade. First,as of November 16,1994, the UrsulineSisters of Louisville,Kentucky releasedtheir last-remainingPittsburgh ministryover to local, secu-lar control. Then,as a newly-renamedagency, UrsulineServices, Inc.moved to itspresent location at 4749 BaumBoulevard. Focus on the servicesto the elderly of Pittsburghbecame even sharper.

The Ursuline Sisters may nolonger minister in Pittsburgh, buttheir legacy lives on in the nameand work of the agency. Theyfaithfully followed in the footstepsof their foundress, Angela Merici,

by looking around and openingtheir eyes to the needs of thepeople and making a commitmentto help them in some way. Pastand present employees of Ursulinealso embrace that commitment andremain grateful for the legacy leftto US by the Sisters.

(Next issue: Part II: 1998 through2007)

The Ursuline Sisters may nolonger minister in Pittsburgh,but their legacy lives on in thename and work of the agency.

Past and present employees of Ursuline also embrace that

commitment and remain grateful for the legacy left to

US by the Sisters.

Friendship House, 1983-1993

History cont. from Page 2

Page 4 All About Us • Spring 2007

Have youever thoughtthat just bygiving your-self the timeto do thatsketch orwrite thatstory, you

could be helping yourself stay“younger?” In his article, “HowCreativity Keeps Us Ageless,”Stephen Ruppenthal develops hisperspective on tips tounleash your creativeenergies and counterthe effects of aging inthe process. Studieshave shown there isindeed a vital relation-ship between creativeexpression and healthyaging. When we drawand paint, we delve deepinto the springs of vitali-ty, increasing our sense ofself-worth, determination,and achievement. All ofus know that, when deepin the process of creating ashort story, a painting, a new business, or aninvention, time seems to stand still. Creatingsomething totally newfreshens our whole systemand frees us from limitationsthat otherwise can hold usdown and drain us of life.

This year, Ursuline SeniorServices is highlighting thisconcept of a “font of eternalcreativity” as a central theme of our celebrating 25 years ofservice to the seniors of ourcommunity. In addition to

hosting a performance of The Muddy Waters Band,featuring 92-year-old David“Honeyboy” Edwards, ourSeptember 28th event will alsohighlight local seniors who havecontinued, or even just began, to tap into their creative selvesmore and more as they age. As Ruppenthal adds, strangelyenough, researchers who investi-gate longevity are finding old age

can be a peak period formore, not less, creativity. “Wealways think of winding down inold age,” says Judith Salerno,Britain’s deputy director for theNational Institute on Aging. “Weneed to begin thinking about latelife as an opportunity for peopleto explore.” So in the years that

used to be considered old age and dotage, now we seeexperience as an incalculably rich resource.

Experts in aging like Ruppenthaland Salerno extol all of us not tosettle for a shut-down life wherethe resources of youth are justvain memories. Instead we need to tap our rich experience,

whether through art, inven-tion, social service, ortransformation of theenvironment. It’s time for society to look at ahigher number of years to mean that we canactually realize ourhighest potential anddevelop talents we neverknew we possessed.

This is why our goalthis year is to showcasewhat our seniors cancontinue to add totheir own lives, as wellas the communityaround them. Whenseniors receive thesupports they requireto sustain their basichuman needs, theyare free to continueto explore their morecreative selves. Let

the power coming fromdeep within you fill in theblanks, making the universe—and yourself—richer, morebeautiful, and full of the wealthof creative life that has no age.

—Tony TuroExecutive Director

From Where I Sit...

Creating something

totally new freshens

our whole system

and frees us from

limitations that

otherwise can

hold us down and

drain us of life.

All About Us • Spring 2007 Page 5

Ursuline Senior Services is theproud administrator of theAARP’s Money ManagementProgram, one of the newestadditions to its core services.

The program is designed to assistlow-income elderly persons whoexperience difficulty managingtheir financial affairs. Following anational volunteer service modeldeveloped by AARP, the programseeks to provide seniors with thefiscal understanding and guidancethat they require, while allowing them to nonetheless maintain their financial independence.

Adopted from the AlleghenyCounty Department ofAging in January, 2000, the program had unfortu-nately experienceddwindling participation in both clients andvolunteers. Recognizingthe pressing need for suchfinancial services withinthe senior community,however, Ursuline SeniorServices agreed torevitalize the programthrough the efforts oftrained volunteers andthe continuing sponsorship ofAllegheny County Area Agencyon Aging. Indeed, through hardwork and good fortune, theprogram has grown dramaticallythe course of only several years.

The program’s results have beenoverwhelmingly positive, as anincreasing number of low-incomeseniors have been affordedassistance with such matters asmortgage and home equity issues,credit card debt, bankruptcy,

Money Management Program, Senior ReassuranceProgram Reach Elderly in Need

utilities and energy assistance, wel-fare programs, and the avoidanceof predatory-lending practices.

Simply stated, Ursuline SeniorServices continues to strive to easethe burden of what can become anoverwhelming financial situationfor many of our community’selderly members.

Senior ReassuranceIn addition, Ursuline SeniorServices has recently addedanother volunteer program to theagency. The Senior Reassurance

Program, a component of ContactPittsburgh since the early 1980s,was adopted by our agency inAugust, 2006.

This vital outreach makes thedifference to seniors 60 years of age or older who reside aloneand value their inde-pendence. Throughconsistent and regularcontacts, clients in thisprogram receive thesupport necessary toremain on their own.Extended, oftenphysically distant, familymembers also receive the“reassurance” that others

will be checking in on their lovedones when they are unable to do so.

Understanding the value of thisservice to elderly individuals,Ursuline Senior Services iscurrently working to incorporatethe Senior Reassurance Programinto our department of volunteerprograms, and is creating anopportunity for it to developconsiderably to help all individualswho would benefit.

The Money Management Program volunteers.

The Senior Reassurance Program volunteers.

Page 6 All About Us • Spring 2007

for Ursuline Center, SisterDorothy was still interested in theposition, and willing to share adesk with Sister Winifred.

The Guardianship Program wasvery different then. When SisterDorothy was hired, each guardianwas Guardian of Person andEstate for an entire caseload.Today, an employee of theGuardianship Department is either a Guardian of Person or a Guardian of Estate, or someother specialized position.

In 1986, the program wasexpanded to include private fee for service guardianships at therequest of the Allegheny CountyOrphan’s Court. Sister Dorothystated this expansion was possiblebased on the program’s reputationof competency, despite having noaccepted guidelines to follow atthat time. As the profession andthe program have evolved,procedures and guidelines havefollowed. Historically, there wasno one who had experience as

guardians. Sister Dorothyexpressed her appreciation thatshe now has colleagues to discussproblems and issues with whenthey arise.

The Court Support Program wascreated in 1993 to catch the peoplein need of guardianship who werefalling through the cracks by pro-viding a referral source directlyfrom the Allegheny CountyOrphans’ Court Division. Priorto the Court Support Program,the program’s only referrals werefrom social workers in the com-munity, leaving those not visitedby a social worker at risk forexploitation and abuse. It wasalso in 1993 that an agency couldbe named as guardian. Previously,a specific guardian was named andthat person could be held person-ally liable for anything related tothe case, an awesome responsibili-ty for an individual guardian.

Despite the changes SisterDorothy has seen over her 22years of service, she doesn’t feelthat she approaches her work any

differently now than when shestarted her mission as a guardian.According to Sister Dorothy, herlongevity in the field is based onthe fact that she sees the work as aministry. Sister Dorothy enjoysspending time with her clients andshowing them that she really caresabout them. Erin enjoyed theopportunity to observe SisterDorothy’s extraordinary caringwhile shadowing Sister as shevisited some of her clients. Herfocus is evident in the advice sheoffered the newest member of the Guardianship Department.“Remember the clients. They are our most valuable asset.”

Sister Dorothy is looking forwardto Ursuline Senior Services’ 25thAnniversary because she believesthat it is a good idea to celebratethe good work the agency is doingin the community. She states, “It is evident that we have donethings right for all this time. If we just keep the consumer as the primary focus of all ourendeavors, we will still be here to celebrate our 50th.”

Gourley cont. from Page 1

THE MUDDYWATERS BANDis excited andeager to continuegiving the worldthe music thatthey helped make famous. The band featuresoriginal members“Pinetop” Perkins (piano/vocals),“Steady Rollin” Bob Margolin(lead guitar/vocals), Calvin “Fuzz”Jones (bass guitar/vocals), George

“Mojo” Buford(vocals/harmonica), andWillie “Big Eyes” Smith(drums/harmonica/vocals).The event will alsofeature 92-year-old blueslegend, David “HoneyBoy”Edwards who will beopening the evening,giving listeners a contrast

between electric and acousticblues. “Honeyboy” is celebratingover 80 years on the road and hasplayed with everyone from RobertJohnson to Keith Richards.

For more information, or to beadded to our mailing list forinvitations, please call our office at 412-683-0400 or email us at 25thAnniversary@ ursulineseniors.org.

A variety of sponsorship andprogram ad book opportunitiesexist for those who would like tosupport the event in a more sub-stantial way. Individual tickets for the event are available at $75 per person.

Art of Aging cont. from Page 1

David “HoneyBoy” Edwards

All About Us • Spring 2007 Page 7

The Community Based OptionsDepartment at Ursuline SeniorServices has existed almost fromthe very beginning. What startedas a small department with onlytwo service managers hasexpanded in size, scope, andprograms since those modestbeginnings.

The Early YearsThe Community Based Optionsdepartment has always been affil-iated with the Allegheny CountyArea Agency on Aging (AAA),and began as the small “AdultServices” Department at theUrsuline Center on WinebiddleStreet in 1981. There were onlytwo service managers and asupervisor, all of whom werebusy meeting seniors in theirhomes to assess them andconnect them to availablecommunity services. The depart-ment served a very small area—only Bloomfield, Garfield andEast Liberty—and the supervisorwas known to ride his bicycle toand from his home visits!

There were far fewer programsoffered through the AdultServices Department at that time– only the OPTIONS programfor Nursing Facility Ineligibleclients was available. Servicemanagers also acted as protectiveservice workers, handling casesof elder abuse and neglect in thearea. The Information andReferral (I&R) Department wascreated, and took all referrals forthe Center. Ursuline also beganto help coordinate for the SeniorCompanion program – training

volunteers and matching themwith clients to act as friendly visitors.

As time passed and the needs ofthe community grew, UrsulineCenter grew as well. By 1991, thenumber of what were now called“case managers” was closer to nineor ten, and each had a caseload ofat least 150 clients, often more!

There were seven agencieswithin the county that hadcontracts with the AAA to docase management at that time,and Ursuline’s boundaries hadgrown; not only did theCenter serve its original area,but also Lawrenceville,Shadyside, Oakland, SquirrelHill, Greenfield, Hazelwood,and Homewood. By 1993, aProtective Services unit was formedin the Adult Services Department,with specialized, experienced staff.The creation of this unit enabledthe department to respond moreeffectively to these crisis situations.They covered the same service areathat case managers did, but workedprimarily with the elderly whowere in abusive situations.

Several additional programs wereadded under a renamed “Ursuline

Community Based Options:Growth and Change Over 25 Years

Services” umbrella around thistime. A Caregiver TrainingSchool was created, wheremembers of the communitycould become trained as personalcare workers. The agency alsocreated a Job/EmploymentBank, which would assist inmatching people in the commu-nity with private pay aides toassist them in their homes.Some of these private pay aideshad completed their training atUrsuline’s Caregiver TrainingSchool. Caregiver Training

School graduates could alsobecome workers in the PersonalAssistance Service (PAS) pro-gram, which supplied in-homeworkers to many of Ursuline’sclients. These programs wouldbe successful for several years,but after dwindling in size anduse, the PAS program and schoolwere both discontinued in 1999to make room for new initiatives.

Next issue: Expansion Continuesand Technology

As time passed and theneeds of the communitygrew, Ursuline Centergrew as well. By 1991,

the number of what were now called “case

managers” was closer tonine or ten, and each had a caseload of at least 150

clients, often more!

www.ursulineseniorservices.orgMission Statement—Ursuline Senior Services, dedicated to the highest standards of professionalism and care,promotes the dignity and well-being of the senior population by providing coordinated supportive services

tailored to the changing needs of each individual.Ursuline Senior Services’ United Way Donor Designation Code: 281

4749 Baum BoulevardPittsburgh, PA 15213

Phone: 412-683-0400Toll Free: 888-881-4749TDD: 412-683-1023

NONPROFITORG

US POSTAGE

PAIDPITTSBURGH PAPERMIT NO 147

SeniorServices

Ursuline

In This IssueA Look Back: The

history of Ursuline SeniorServices and some of itsprograms and servicesover the past 25 years.

The Art of Aging:Join Ursuline SeniorServices in celebratingseniors living well.

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

Benefiting Ursuline Senior Services

Friday, September 28, 20076-10 p.m., Carnegie Museum Music Hall

Individual Tickets $75

For details, contact Ursuline Senior Services at 412.683.0400 or email us at 25thAnniversary@ursulineseniors.org.

Sponsorshipand Program

Advertising nowavailable! Call

412-683-0400 fordetails.

Featuring The Muddy Waters Bandwith special guest

David “HoneyBoy” Edwards.