Several local nursing homes are looking for individuals and groups to adopt residents as grandparents.
"Volunteers offer companionship to the residents and help them feel loved and needed when they visit," said Megan Harward, director of recreational therapy at Orem Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. "Volunteers give residents the opportunity to have a relationship with the community and feel a part of it."Anyone 12 years old or older is encouraged to get involved. Volunteers participate in activities such as bingo, crafts, cooking, playing games, reading or helping residents decorate their rooms and doors for special occasions such as holidays.
Interested individuals and groups can volunteer for as long and as often as they are able. Schedules are flexible. Volunteers should call ahead to set up an appointment with the nursing home so they can meet the resident they will adopt.
Other volunteer opportunities are available throughout Utah County. Some of these include:
- Provide friendship and love to a person with disabilities. The Utah State Developmental Center in American Fork needs volunteers to provide one-on-one interaction with residents.
Specifically, groups of volunteers are also needed on the third Saturday of each month to escort residents in wheelchairs to a concert on the Developmental Center campus. Volunteers attend the concert with their new friend and then take them back to their residence hall.
"Spending one-on-one quality time with an individual means somebody cares about them," said Marina Graham, volunteer coordinator for the center.
A variety of opportunities are available for volunteers to meet residents. To provide stability in the residents' lives, a three-month or more commitment is needed.
- Assist individuals in wheelchairs during various activities. Genesis Services, which provides community day services and employment support for people with disabilities, needs volunteers to provide monthly activities for adults with disabilities. All adults are in wheelchairs and are unable to speak, so staff will be available to assist volunteers. Activities should be held on Fridays anytime between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. The location for the activities should be arranged through Genesis Services.
Volunteers are also needed to assist wheelchair-bound individuals as they attend classes, participate in recreational activities, shop, or attend special functions.
- Volunteer as a library assistant at Utah State Hospital. The Utah State Hospital in Provo needs individuals to serve as library assistants on Tuesday and Thursday from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. and on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Volunteers, who will help with a variety of duties, are asked to commit to a three-hour block each week. In addition, individuals are needed to volunteer at the hospital's snack bar on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.
For more information about these and other volunteer opportunities throughout Utah County, contact the United Way Volunteer Center at 374-8108 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, or visit the United Way of Utah County web site at (www.unitedwayuc.org).