What can our community do to help Pioneer Place?
Our community can be the DeLight side of Pioneer Place, and make Pioneer Place the over-the-top creative, fun place.
Because it is not a chain, the community can show support in legal, loving, creative ways.
Because staff work diligently and lovingly from first to last minute of their shift, a volunteer to supervise and organize volunteer activities is important.
Who is encouraged? Residents, facility, and medical, housekeeping, office, and maintenance staff are encouraged.
Why would they? Over-the-top morale increases medical staff by making the medical people that do exist choose Pioneer Place instead of any other place in entire Treasure Valley.
Young people who visit Pioneer Place are more apt to choose a medical profession. Stories from senior citizens put our life in perspective. Heightened awareness indirectly increases census. Job satisfaction Increases length of staff employment.
As for staff, there is a medical staff shortage in our country. What can we do to make Pioneer Place the most fun, attractive, enjoyable place to work in the Treasure Valley?
What would make RN, LPN, CNA staff drive long distances to work at that remarkable place where staff is respected and valued more than in any other place?
Who? This is the fun, fun, fun part.
The social service director and activity director staff could work with 20 or so volunteers, each involved one day a month. Volunteers could assist, encourage, and increase social activities with ideas, assistance, encouragement and friendly presence.
Groups such as school classes, 4-H, FFA, Scouts, professional farming organizations, church groups, seniors citizens, music students, dance students, sports teams, a family, hobby club, vendors, and neighborhood businesses could be creatively involved.
For example a group could make door hangers once a month. A group could play music once a week. The ideas are endless.
What? Here’s the fun, fun, fun creative part.
Visit, visit, visit. Plan holiday parties on site, make wall decorations, make door decorations, decorate tables, keep up the landscape, hold a costume party, introduce crafts, games, dances, recitals, or play music: harmonica, violin, piano, vocals, or trumpet.
Farmers and ranchers already donate produce.
Several groups could donate restaurant gift certificates for staff’s birthday.
Each new resident could be given a wildly, colorful pillow case.
There are volunteer requirements so check with business office.
Pauline Sheehan is a Vale writer who contributes columns about “DeLight Side” to the Malheur Enterprise.