Friday, Aug. 15, 2008

Nursing home seeks secret pals

By AMANDA ROGERS

News-Mirror Writer

Residents at the Mansfield Nursing & Rehabilitation Center are looking for a few good friends.

For the fourth year, activities director Laurie Gagne is seeking members of the community to adopt each of the center’s 70 residents as their secret pals.

To participate, people can call Gagne and get the name of a resident and specific information about them, their likes and any allergies or medical issues.

The secret pals then shop for four gifts for their resident, dropping off three gifts, one to be delivered each Friday in September.

Secret pals deliver the fourth gift themselves at a party at 7 p.m. Sept. 25.

"They’re like kids, they love getting gifts and seeing what each other got," Gagne said. "A lot don’t get presents. For some, this is the only gift they get except what we give them at Christmas.

"Some family members don’t buy them presents because they think they don’t need anything," Gagne said.

Some of the more elaborate gifts the residents have received in the past include televisions, radios and comforters. But the gifts do not have to cost a lot of money, Gagne said. Residents enjoy getting lotion, shampoo, body wash, candy, chips, soft drinks and games. They also enjoy meeting their secret pals at the party, Gagne said.

"The one thing that bothers them is if their secret pal doesn’t attend the party," Gagne said. "They are so anxious to meet them."

Gagne hopes to find secret pals for all 70 residents by Sept. 1. Gifts need to be dropped off by Sept. 2.

To adopt a secret pal at the Mansfield Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, contact activities director Laurie Gagne at (817) 477-2176 or laurie_ftworth@yahoo.com. Mansfield Nursing & Rehabilitation is located at 1402 E. Broad St.