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December 2007

Director's Notebook

Visits Can Spread Season's Greetings and Foster Quality

December 24 through 31 is "Visit A Nursing Home Week" in Ohio. The holidays are a time to celebrate with loved ones and friends and to be thankful for all the good things in our busy lives. It is also a great time to share good will with nursing facility residents in your area who would greatly appreciate a visit and someone to talk to. When you visit with nursing facility residents you bring a small piece of the holiday season with you.

An estimated 84,000 Ohioans live in nearly 1,000 nursing homes statewide. Many of these people have family and friends who visit them regularly. Others seldom have visitors and some have no one to visit them. Please ask those you work with to consider a visit to a facility in their holiday plans. Also, encourage local facilities to program special activities to promote visitation.

Caroling, writing letters, sharing treats and cards, or even encouraging children to create artwork for the facility are all greatly appreciated ways to interact with residents. Many facilities will organize opportunities for visitors. Church groups may have members who make regular visits to area facilities. Some schools and scout troops adopt the residents of area facilities as part of community service projects.

The Department of Aging will share sample activity ideas, artwork and more on a special Web page (www.goldenbuckeye.com/visitweek/) beginning December 5.

There are some common sense rules to follow when you plan to visit a local nursing facility:

• Call the nursing facility for visiting hours and any rules and regulations.
• Don't visit if you are sick and could be contagious.
• If the facility approves, bring your kids or your pets.
• Check with your church to see if they have regularly scheduled visits to the facility.
• Check with the facility for any volunteer opportunities they may have.

In addition to valuable social interaction, visitors also help recognize and support quality care. If, during a visit, you see something that doesn't seem right or have questions about residents' rights, call the Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman toll-free at 1-800-282-1206. Ombudsman staff and volunteers make regular visits to nursing homes to identify and resolve potential problems and to encourage residents to expect excellence.

Don't forget that residents who enjoy visiting with you at Christmas time would also enjoy talking to you any time throughout the year. Winter, spring, summer or fall - take the time to share some time with nursing facility residents in your area. They will enjoy it and so will you.

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