Being a resident of a nursing home for more than two decades, I can tell you with certainty that it is the little acts of kindness that matter the most.
Rafi Munim with his mentor (Late) Ruth Hasegawa
Our Goal
Our goal is to bring awareness of the importance of visiting nursing homes with the intention to enhance the quality of interactions with residents therein. The focus would specifically be on those residents who are mentally alert to partake in joyful two-way communication.
We have a threefold approach to achieve our goal:
1. To develop a network volunteers through our Meet-up group
The purpose is to build up a network of like minded people that are committed in developing workable strategies that can achieve our goal of bringing joyful interactions in the nursing home settings. Once, we have developed a workable plan; its most important aspect would be to bring awareness and understanding, in general public, about the impact of their simple visits in the lives of those living in nursing homes.
2. To provide funds for nursing home residents’ activities
To acquire funds from the state, private foundations, and corporations to be allocated to the activity departments of the participating nursing homes. The purpose of these funding is to organize activities outside the nursing homes for those residents that can participate in such activities. The idea is to provide sunshine, fresh air, change of scenery, quality cuisine, entertainment, and activities that couldn’t be organize by the in-house activity departments due budgetary constrains.
3. Free membership for nursing home residents
Once we are more organized, Mission Green Light would start its own Activity Membership Program. We would encourage the family members of the residents to register them through our website. Our objective would be to keep in contact with these members through our volunteers’ visits, providing them interesting reading material, wishing them on their birthdays and on special occasions. We would also organize events where the residents and their family members could enjoy cuisine, music, and interactions with others in a very congenial atmosphere outside the nursing home environment.