Some staff members at the Baldomero Lopez State Veterans Nursing Home have come up with an idea they think will enrich the lives of the residents.
They’ve launched an initiative they’re calling “Adopt A Hero.”
The concept is simple, but they need a corps of volunteers to pull it off, and they’re reaching out to the community to try to bring their vision to life.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photos)
Rebecca Pinson, social work program manager, and Johanna Snee, activity director, hope that “Adopt A Hero” will give the veterans something to look forward to each week, while giving volunteers a chance to make a meaningful contribution.
In essence, they’re asking for volunteers who are willing to spend one hour per week engaging with a veteran.
“A lot of veterans don’t have visitors,” Pinson said. “Their friends have passed,” she said, and family members may not live in the area.
Each volunteer would be paired with a specific veteran, Pinson said.
“We would try to connect the volunteer with the resident that has similar interests, hobbies or skillsets,” Pinson said.
For instance, Snee said, “we have a resident who just enjoys playing chess.”
Unfortunately, Pinson said, he doesn’t have someone to play chess with.
Volunteers could come at their convenience, Pinson said.
Once the volunteer arrives, it will be up to the volunteer and the veteran to decide how they want to spend their time together, Snee said.
“They can read to them, if they’d like,” she said. Or, “they could help them to write letters,” Snee added.
Or, they could help the veterans figure out how to use new technology, Pinson said.
“Someone who likes to sing and play instruments — they could come and do that,” the social work program manager said.
“They would do whatever they like. If they wanted to play a game with the resident, if they wanted to just chat, maybe have lunch with them,” Snee said.
In fact, lunch would be a pretty good deal for the volunteer, the women said.
“For $3.50 they can have lunch with them,” Snee said, noting there is a wide array of choices.
“The food is good, too,” Pinson said.
The nursing home is seeking volunteers who are at least 18 years old, who are willing to make an hour commitment every week, for at least a year, Snee said. They want the continuity to make the program meaningful for the veteran.
Those who are interested can come over to tour the facility and fill out an application form, Snee said.
They can give it a try a couple of times, to see if it is a good fit, she said.
If they want to proceed, a background check will be done at the state’s expense, Snee said. That’s necessary to protect the nursing home residents and its staff, she explained.
The nursing home, which opened in 1999, is a 120-bed facility at 6919 Parkway Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.
Pinson and Snee have high hopes for this new volunteer program.
“It will make a big difference in some of our veterans’ lives, to have that social connection,” Pinson said, noting that the lack of personal relationships can lead to loneliness and depression.
Snee also encouraged anyone who wants to help at the nursing home, even if they’re not drawn to this opportunity, to give her a call. There are plenty of ways to pitch in, she said.
For more information, call Snee at (813) 558-5000, ext. 1424.
Published June 1, 2016