Ashlar Seeks Volunteers

For Best Friends Program

Remember when you and your best friend relaxed on a Sunday afternoon and chatted about the week’s events? Or when you opened the mailbox to find a card from your grandmother sent for no reason other than to say hello? Or your next-door neighbor dropping by with a plate of freshly baked cookies? Ashlar of Newtown aims to recreate the dynamics of this type of old-fashioned relationship for its residents and is seeking volunteers to join the new “Best Friends” program.

“For those residents of Ashlar of Newtown whose families and friends may be far away, or for those whose mobility is limited, the Best Friends program hopes to foster relationships that can make each day more meaningful,” says Hilda DeLucia, manager of community resources, Ashlar of Newtown.

Each volunteer in the “Best Friends” program will be matched with a resident with similar background and interests. A volunteer will be encouraged to visit his or her assigned resident to reminisce or enjoy a friendly chat. The focus of this program is to recreate that old-fashioned style of communication. For example, a volunteer will be asked to send personal notes and greeting cards to the resident. Each relationship will develop at its own pace, but the ultimate goal will be for both volunteers and residents to become companions to one another and develop meaningful friendships.

“All of the things that friends might do – from having tea in the afternoon to poring over catalogs to shop for the holidays, from taking an afternoon stroll to exchanging letters and birthday and holiday cards – are the types of activities we envision taking place in this program,” said Ms DeLucia.

“By providing the elderly with this type of nurturing and meaningful contact, volunteers will add significantly to a resident’s quality of life,” she continued. The program’s flexibility will allow working people to visit after work or on weekends.

Ashlar of Newtown, located on Toddy Hill Road, Newtown, is a nationally accredited skilled nursing facility affiliated with Masonicare. For more information or to become a volunteer, call Hilda DeLucia, 426-5847.