Lettie Miller Frye, an assisted living resident of Greenfield makes quilts to raise funds for the Edinburg Volunteer Fire Department. Photo by Rich Cooley/Northern Virginia Daily News
When I was writing my book Becoming Dead Right: A Hospice Volunteer in Urban Nursing Homes, I created a chapter about a nursing home called Baby Boomer Haven based on best practices of various nursing homes, but not nearly enough, around America. This imaginary nursing home includes older adults performing community service. In this book excerpt, Ruth, a wheelchair –riding resident, takes readers on a tour and explains some of the service activities they perform:
“At Baby Boomer Heaven, I mean Haven, we emphasize win-win community service. We’ve learned that when we join with the community and put all of our notes together, we create some fine songs. Of course, we appreciate service from others, but we want to serve people, too. We want to feel like we are doing our part to make the world a better place now and for future generations.
Our gift shop sells crafts we make to help fund service projects. Among several services we provide, residents help Fetching Feasts provide meals delivered to seniors at their homes. We perform tasks here that make the process easier for them. We sew blankets for newborns. We often tutor and read to children at our childcare center."
Ruth goes on to explain other service activities in which residents demonstrate their reciprocal partnership with the local community. Do you have community service activities to share about residents in older adult communities?
If you would like to know more about positive and negative aspects of nursing home life and how families can transition loved ones to long-term care facilities, Jonathan Rosenfeld, writer of Nursing Homes Abuse Blog recommends ten helpful resources there that can assist you.
Frances Shani Parker, Author
Becoming Dead Right: A Hospice Volunteer in Urban Nursing Homes is available in paperback at many booksellers and in e-book form at Amazon and Barnes and Noble booksellers.
It's always nice to allow LTC residents share their talents and kind thoughts through volunteering!
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