Episcopal Retirement Homes extends its ministry outside the walls of its retirement communities through its Parish Health Ministry (PHM) program, which assists congregations throughout central and southern Ohio with developing or enhancing a parish nurse/ health ministry.

Supported solely through financial donations, PHM invests nearly $2,200 per church to help improve the lives of congregration members through advocacy, education and wellness activities. The program, which was founded in 1998, currently serves more than 100 congregations of various religious denominations throughout southern Ohio.

In 2006, Parish Health Ministry accomplished the following:

• Nearly 33,000 contacts were made through home, hospital and nursing home visits; blood pressure screenings; personal health counseling; telephone calls; cards; friendly visits; bereavement counseling; etc.
• More than 7,500 blood pressures were taken, with 987 referrals made mostly to physicians but also to parish nurses, clergy and community agencies.
• Almost 1,200 referrals were made.
• 628 volunteers donated their time to PHM for nearly 11,900 volunteer hours.
• Our volunteers drove 16,743 miles!

If you would like to directly contribute to PHM's
future successes by making a financial contribution, contact Jeanne Palcic, PHM program manager, at
(513) 272-5555, ext. 4223.