Page 25 - Vibrant Living Scrapbook

Contributing to the Community
Householders, you have spent your entire lives contributing to your community. The least
we can do is to honor you by offering daily opportunities to continue contributing if you wish.
For example, Perham Memorial residents took part in every step of creating their households, including the exploratory work and strategic planning. At Evergreen Retirement Center in Oshkosh, WI, residents serve on the Quality Assurance Committee and the board of directors.
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National Night Out
Folks at Town & Country Health and Rehab in Minden,
LA, decided to join with the broader community by participating in National Night Out. Each of the facility’s five neighborhoods planned its own “block” party. Staff asked residents how they would celebrate National Night Out in their own houses and used the answers to shape the celebrations.
Every neighborhood had its own music. Residents on ventilators asked the staff to entertain them by line dancing while more mobile householders joined in an old fashioned “street” dance. Staff and families brought food. One neighborhood grilled hamburgers on their back patio.
Staff kept a close eye on blood sugar levels so that those with diabetes could “splurge” on all the fun foods.
Folks sat on their porches and chatted with neighbors. The administrator (whom they called “Mayor”) and the director of nursing celebrated with residents and staff in each block. The city councilwoman for the ward where the facility is located made the rounds as well.
“We wanted residents to know they are part of the community and can make a difference. They have only moved from one home to another and are still a part of the community,” says a staff member. Everyone was smiling the next day, she adds. “They talked about how much fun it was and it made the staff feel really good.”
Town & Country won first place in the city’s recognition of their National Night Out activities.
“We had the most participation, the most spirit, the most everything. We had it going on!”