Bessie’s Hope is a 501(C)(3) nonprofit. all donations are tax deductible
Peyton and Morgan Ankrum, volunteers from St. Mary’s Academy, visited several elder care homes preparing ornaments and wrapping gifts for residents to give during the holiday season. It was a magical experience for all.
This was Peyton’s idea and Bessie’s Hope was so honored to be a part of it!
For more information:
Call Blythe Dollar at 303-861-3018
or
Fill out the application to attend an orientation!
For many years, Regis University School of Nursing has partnered with Bessie’s Hope to provide an introductory experience in working with the geriatric population. Bessie’s Hope provides the education and training for the nursing students and coordinates group visits at multiple elder care facilities, so the students will have diverse experiences. Because interacting with individuals who have advanced Alzheimer’s Disease is included in our training, each group of nursing students has the opportunity to engage with elders in various memory care facilities. Their participation with Bessie’s Hope also includes time with elders in skilled care (nursing homes) and with elders in assisted living communities that are not memory care. Through Bessie’s Hope, they see how much the elders have to teach all younger generations.
Above are photos of some of the students at a visit at Balfour at Stapleton. Facilitated by Bessie’s Hope staff, the students have the opportunity to participate in getting-to-know-you dialogue, dancing and lots of laughter and hugs.
Below are a couple of pictures of other nursing students dancing with elders at Cedars Health Care Center and Chelsea Place Memory Care.
Learn more about getting your business or community group involved here.
Little Sprouts Friendship Garden” preschool has partnered with Bessie’s Hope for a few years. It’s always enchanting to watch the preschoolers and elders at TenderCare Harvard Park bring such joy to each other! They read together, create together, dance together, and have so much fun together! In the picture above, they were stacking hands and about to yell “GO TEAM!
Girl Scout Troop 77818 performed Christmas carols, and spread the holiday cheer at Juniper Village Louisville this past December. Smiles and hugs were spread near and far!
Bessie’s Hope is proud to partner with Little Sprouts Friendship Garden and Girl Scout Troop 77818, and we hope both partnerships continue for many years!
Learn more about how to get your youth or school group involved here.
Jessica, Charlie, Will and Matthew Swick experienced a special family joy at Chelsea Place when getting to know their “adopted” elder. There is no deeper joy than that from helping another. The elders who participate in this program either have no personal visitors, or they are seldomly visited. The loneliness and hopelessness felt by someone who has NO ONE is so heavy on the heart, and this heaviness is lifted when someone comes along to say, “I care, and I am here for you.” Likewise, when family members share making such a significant difference in the life of another, there is a love that glows and lightens the hearts of all involved.
Sara and Brooklyn Matlock have also experienced this family joy at Cedars Health Care with their “adopted elder”. We are thankful for all our Family and Elders Program volunteers. They are filling such a void in someone’s life.
For more information:
Call Blythe Dollar at 303-623-2152
or
Fill out the application to attend an orientation!
MDC/Richmond American Homes is a sponsor of Bessie’s Hope, and we are very grateful. We hope to have repeat elder care visits with MDC employees, after others hear how heartwarming, meaningful, life-changing, and fun the experience was for their co-workers.
This is a gratifying volunteer experience, because you immediately see and feel the difference you are making in someone’s life. Likewise, it is the perfect team-building group project.
This year, Bailey wanted to create multiple opportunities for her listeners to have the heartwarming experience of participating in a group visit at an elder care home. Pictured are Bailey and some of the other volunteers who participated in a Bessie’s Hope training session and a group visit with elders at Chelsea Place.
Learn more about getting your business or community group involved here.
Westerly Creek Elementary School and Balfour at Stapleton
Students from Westerly Creek Elementary School and the elders at Balfour at Stapleton enjoy their times together. They read together, dance and sing together, create together and share favorite stories. The children listen intently to the elders telling of their experiences of long ago.
Learn more about how to get your youth or school group involved here.
Featured are some of the students who participated in our School-to-Career Work Force Development for Long Term Care this summer through the DPS CareerConnect program and through a DPS summer internship program. The students received the Bessie’s Hope education on long term care: the reasons people are in long term care; the various levels of long term care; dementia; hearing and vision loss; and other physical conditions, such as stroke and diabetes. They also received training that enabled the volunteers to have comfortable and meaningful interaction with elders of all levels of cognitive functioning, including advanced Alzheimer’s Disease.
The students participated in visits at two nursing homes, Briarwood Health Care Center and Cedars Health Care Center. Bessie’s Hope staff facilitated the visits and introduced the students to staff members at the elder care homes. The students received a presentation on the many jobs and career opportunities in elder care homes. They also went to Argus Home Health Care Agency and received a presentation on the jobs and career opportunities within home health care. In fact, two of the students filled out job applications at Argus.
The students had the opportunity to shadow various positions within Briarwood, and three of the students participated in a six-week internship there. One of the students chose to do her internship with Bessie’s Hope to participate in more administrative and marketing tasks and learning opportunities.
Learn more about how to get your youth or school group involved here.
For a number of years, Bailey, talk show host on iHeart Radio KTCL Channel 93.3, has partnered with Bessie’s Hope for her “Gifts for Grands” project. Each year, shortly before Christmas, Bessie’s Hope provides Bailey with a list of first names of nursing home elders who never receive visitors and their Santa Wish Lists. Bailey shares the lists with her listeners, and they sign up to provide gifts for the individual elders. The listeners are invited to join Bailey and a Bessie’s Hope staff member to participate in a social gathering with the group of elders, after which the volunteers give the gifts to the elders.
This year, Bailey wanted to create multiple opportunities for her listeners to have the heartwarming experience of participating in a group visit at an elder care home. Pictured are Bailey and some of the other volunteers who participated in a Bessie’s Hope training session and a group visit with elders at Chelsea Place.
Learn more about getting your business or community group involved here.
Pictured are Blythe Dollar, Bessie’s Hope Program Coordinator, who is conducting a “placement” with volunteer, Andrea Goth. They are visiting elders at Greenridge Place. After volunteers participate in the Family and Elders Program orientation, they are introduced to a number of elders who have no one, or who are seldom visited. This is the “placement”. The volunteer may choose to adopt one person or to visit as many as possible upon each of his/her visits.
Our Family and Elders Program provides the opportunity for individuals or families to “adopt” an elder, or elders, who have no personal visitors. This is such a rewarding experience. Individuals always report that they felt they received more than they could possibly give, and it is a deeply fulfilling relationship with the elder. Families report that it is such a meaningful experience for family members to share. With everyone being so busy with their own interests, this is a time the family comes together to give of themselves. Families have also said that it has made a positive difference in family dynamics. Coming together to give love, just creates more love for everyone involved!
There are some interesting and appealing elements within this volunteer program. You don’t have to have a schedule. You drop in to visit, as you would a family member. This is what the goal is—the relationship becomes like family and mutually rewarding. Also, if you choose to not adopt just one or two elders, you can also choose to create your own “program” or project for many of the elders at the care home. For example, you can provide nail polishing and hand cream for all the ladies who come to your own scheduled “spa” time. If you do choose to create a group experience, it does have to be scheduled in advance. If it’s an ongoing group activity, you can commit to every month, twice a month, weekly, etc. Another example, you can choose to play the piano once a month.
For more information:
Call Blythe Dollar at 303-623-2152
or
Fill out the application to attend an orientation!