November 01, 2014

Would you like to help make an enormous difference in the life of a lonely resident of a long-term-care facility?

Then why not volunteer soon at your nearest nursing home? Simply give the facility a call, ask to speak with the Activities Director, and then explain that you’re interested in helping him or her out in any way you can.

Here are some idea-starters. See anything you’d enjoy?

• Visit residents regularly to develop relationships conducive to sharing the Gospel.
  

• Conduct regular Christian services for the residents – a Hymn Sing or formal church service.
  

• Support Activities by pushing residents to and from scheduled events, delivering mail, putting up or taking down decorations, alphabetizing the library – whatever’s needed.
  

• Serve as a wheelchair pusher on field trips to, for instance, the zoo.
  

• Lend a hand in the garden throughout the growing season, helping out with planting, fertilizing, dividing, and weeding.
  

• Conduct a regular Bible discussion for two residents or twenty.
  

• Help with or develop a hands-on craft program featuring your favorite craft.
  

• Get your dog trained in Canine Good Citizenship and visit residents who so miss being around dogs.
  

• Teach residents the basics of email, one on one.
  

• Do manicures.
  

• Offer to shop for toiletries or nightgowns or whatever else is difficult for a facility-bound resident to buy.
  

• Make and bring “just like fresh, only better” silk flower arrangements to selected residents.

• Raise funds for Activities through your own social or church network – for instance, to sponsor indigent residents’ participation in a field trip or restaurant outing.
  

• Offer to help with a task that requires a lot of staff time, but no special training – e.g., word games or Bingo.
  

• Make it your business to identify individual resident’s interests, and then address those interests with books, videos, articles – whatever strikes your fancy.
  

I can almost guarantee you an experience that will reward you as richly as it rewards the resident you call upon.

Written by Kitty Foth-Regner at Everlastingplace.com