Students bring cheer to elderly
By Dina Jensen-Helse
Special to the Kansan
Mildred Love sits in her tiny nursing home room day after day and looks at the walls covered by crafts that she has made.
"I wish I had more visitors," said Love, a 74-year-old Colonial Manor Nursing Home resident. "It doesn't matter if it's kids or adults, any visitor is nice."
Love doesn't have any family members that can come to visit, so she waits for a stranger to stop by so she can share a few memories.
Lawrence is working on solving the loneliness that the elderly face, but organizers say more help is needed.
Interfaith Caring Neighbors (I CAN), a volunteer group sponsored by the First United Methodist Church and 13 cooperating churches, has worked with social welfare agencies to find out if there is a need to help the elderly in the community.
A "call to care" meeting recently invited churches and social agencies to discuss whether the I CAN mission would help the elderly still able to live in their own homes.
I CAN started in March 1996, with a one-time start-up grant of $25,000 from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which helped pay the one paid staff member and helped to get the office set up, said Glenna Herd, I CAN director.
I CAN serves 75 needy elderly with chores, handy work, shopping and friendly visits.
"It's hard for a lot of the elderly to get out," Gordon said. "Visiting and lending a hand provides the elderly an avenue of human contact."
Margo Gordon, a retired professor of social welfare at the University of Kansas and an I CAN organizer, said the organization helps the elderly keep in touch with the community.
I CAN volunteers have to go through a three-hour orientation to get an idea of what to expect. Volunteers must commit their time for a six-month period. Most visits take place once every other week.
"The visit depends on each person being visited," Gordon said. "It also depends on the activity being performed, such as shopping, handy work, cleaning or just a visit."
I CAN invites anyone interested to join whether church-affiliated or not.
"We just had a couple of students join the I CAN program," Gordon said, "We look forward to all volunteers interested in helping with the elderly."
Jan Jess, assistant director of the practicum, said not many students were interested in working with the elderly. She wishes more students could find the time to share a few hours with older people, she said.
"I wish I had more visitors. It doesn't matter if it's kids or adults; any visitor is nice."
Mildred Love On being visited.
"There are only a few students involved with the elderly internship program," Jess said. "We try to help students know what to expect from working with the elderly."
I CAN may be the biggest community effort for the elderly, but it's not the only program. The Humane Society also has a program that brings animals from the shelter to share with nursing home residents.
Kim Roberts, Lawrence Humane Society's public relations coordinator, sets out with
two other volunteers every second and fourth Thursday of the month to community nursing homes. They take animals from the shelter and allow the residents to spend time with the pets.
"It gives the elderly something to look forward to," Roberts said.
Roberts encouraged people of all ages to get involved, but required orientations are offered only in September, January and May.
"The people in the nursing home just want someone to visit with them," Eisman said. "They like taking walks and doing crafts with visitors."
Kathy Eisman, activity director at Colonial Manor, said she wished she could find another group that would like to get involved with the Adopt-a-Grandparent program. She said there was no age limit for individuals who wish to visit.
She said 60 percent of the residents at Colonial Manor do not have any relatives, and many more do not have relatives that live close enough to visit frequently.
Love waits for someone to write a letter or visit. She doesn't have any grandchildren or close family, so she's always looking for something to keep her busy.
"If anyone would like to come visit, I would love to have a guest," Love said. "It doesn't matter what age they are, I like all visitors."
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Community Outreach
The Hill November 5,1996