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Auglaize Acres goes Hawaiian |
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Friday, 22 August 2008 |
By MATT NICHOLS
Staff Writer
WAPAKONETA — The state of Hawaii is more than 4,000 miles away from Wapakoneta. For Auglaize Acres residents on Thursday, the tropical paradise just happened to be down the hall and around the corner.
From sun up to sun down Thursday, residents could experience “Hawaii Day” at the nursing home — complete with everything unique to the south Pacific islands.
All day, residents strolled up and down the hall, complete with vibrant Hawaiian shirts and brilliantly colored leis draped around their necks. Some even went the extra distance and fitted a grass skirt to their waists.
“This is just something different and fun,” Acres Activities Coordinator Barb King said. “We’re always doing something crazy around here.”
The style of dress exhibited by residents and staff members were not the only thing that was fine-tuned to Hawaiian customs. Games and other activities were designed to immerse residents deeper into an escape from their normal routine.
Beginning in the morning, residents were dressed in Hawaiian garb and led out to participate in a tiki ring toss and other games. When the clock struck 1:30 p.m. residents were brought into a room to get a larger taste of Hawaiian life.
Coconut cookies were served along with a shish kabob complete with ham, cheese, and pineapples. After the residents enjoyed their snacks, they washed it all down with a homemade tropical blended punch prepared by the staff.
As staff members were serving the appetizers to residents, Indian Lake’s Bob and Susie Brown stood before everyone and performed live Hawaiian-themed music, kicking off the performance with Elvis Presley’s “Blue Hawaii,” and following it with Bing Crosby‘s “Mele Kalikimaka.”
Between shish kabob and cookie runs, Activities Assistant Coordinator Miriam German said the event was something the staff and residents had been anticipating for a long time.
“It’s just some thing special, something that breaks to the routine,” German said. “Everyone loves Hawaiian music and everyone wishes they went to Hawaii, so this is the residents’ way of going.”
Before the Browns started their routine, King invited anyone who wished to come up to perform a hula contest.
With a thunderous applause for each, 65-year-old Charlie Doseck and 86-year-old Jo Place were judged to be the smoothest with the dance moves. For their efforts, the two were named “Hawaiian Day King and Queen.”
King said events like Hawaiian Day keep the residents’ lives interesting and every changing. In years past, King has taken the residents on their own Hawaiian cruse of sorts out on Grand Lake St. Marys, and next month the staff has set aside one day as “Western Day.”
King said holding these events are necessary to improve the quality of life of those who have spent their lives serving others. It’s time, she said, for them to sit back and relax and let someone else serve them.
“A lot of people have this idea that you come to a nursing home to die, and that’s not my philosophy at all,” King said. “They come here to live out some of the best years of their life. That’s why we dream up these things.” |
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 26 August 2008 )
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