We've Got The County Covered
We've Got The County Covered
May is National Nursing Home month and May 14-20 is designated as National Nursing Home week. In the past Sweet Home in Chinook has celebrated the occasion in a number of ways. Nationally there is a chosen theme with a variety of ideas for activities to be done each day. In recent years Sweet Home has taken its own, more personable approach as a means to celebrate the week.
Sweet Home Administrator Rebecca Shackelford commented, "Nursing Home week really is about celebrating our healthcare workers and residents. We try to incorporate activities that staff can do with residents, all while staying with the theme: Cultivating Kindness. The theme is different each year, but emphasizing kindness this year became a wonderful, fun way for staff to continue the loving way they provide care to our residents. Kindness among and for staff members was also evident and that was really awesome to experience."
This years daily activities again featured plenty of good food, fun and kind spirit while also offering staff chance to collect some nice prizes along the way. Staff were each given their own 2023 Nursing Home Week T-Shirts and throughout the week a total of 20 Amazon and Visa gift cards were drawn for.
The week began with 'Be kind to one another' as the theme and featured a Barbecue lunch. 'Exercise Acts of Kindness' was the motto for Monday. Staff joined Residents for some Bingo in the morning and then enjoyed an afternoon walking together. Staff enjoyed an espresso or drink of their choice during the day as well. Tuesday was 'Kindness at Sweet Home'. Residents and Staff again joined forces, in the morning the painted kindness rocks and in the afternoon for another round of Bingo. A fantastic Keilbasa lunch was served as well.
Through three days the staff really connected, and the daily activities are sure looked forward to. Wednesday's theme was 'Inspire others with Kindness'. The morning featured another rousing get together of Bingo. In afternoon the focus of staff and residents turned to creating beautiful Memorial Day vases while enjoying delicious ice cream Sundaes. 'Nurturing Kindness' was the theme for Thursday, sticky notes were filled with notes of kindness and stuck in various locations to remind people to be kind. The week concluded on Friday, May 19 with 'Decades of Kindness'. Doughnuts were on hand for everyone to enjoy and staff and residents were encouraged to dress up as their favorite decade!
Activities Director Michelle Snell enjoys the opportunity to work with the residents and to have the opportunity to work with them on a regular basis. Snell enjoys theme weeks like this were more staff are included in the fun, "I like the way we celebrate Nursing home week. The Residents really enjoy it, the staff gets the opportunity to win some nice prizes and its just really nice. I don't know it seems to make each day just a bit better."
Nursing Home week has come and gone and it certainly was a success, but that doesn't mean we stop being kind. The residents are the reason the staff works so hard to do what they do. Volunteers are always welcome to come visit the residents, join in on an activity. Go for a walk or read or color, the residents love it all and staff surely appreciate it.
