18 January

The Outings Project: The Mansion. Practical Good In The Real World

by Jon Katz

The return of the Mansion residents has been delayed for two more weeks as the repair and restoration project continues. The new date is February 1, hard news for the staff and the residents.

This afternoon, I went to the Mansion and proposed a series of outings for the residents who remain in the Mansion and those who have been evacuated to the Danforth Adult Care Center. My idea is that we take two to four residents out at a time for lunch or a drive for a cup of coffee, just to let them get outside.

The residents love to be taken outside, and love to eat out, they rarely get a lot of variety in their food, there are too many health and other restraints. I’d come by, with Maria if she can come, and we’ll pick some of the people up who need to get out.

It’s not a simple thing. The families have to be notified and given permission. There have to be at least two aides of there is more than one person. So it takes a lot of planning and schedule shifting and permission collecting, these are the parts I can’t do.

What I can do is plan the outings and drive them there and back (some will need wheelchair and walker help), and I ‘ll be happy to do that. Maria suggested that we also plan some tea parties, have tea and bring cakes and cookies and  talk to people who want to talk. The Mansion staff was enthusiastic about the idea and they will meet on Monday to try to figure out how to help me do it.

I’d like to do five to ten outings over the next two weeks, the give the residents something to look forward to, to get them outside and stimulated by a different environment, to ease their boredom and fear, and  to give them something to look forward to.

I went to call the Bingo game at the Mansion tonight with Maria – there are only six or seven residents left in the Mansion for now, and I brought puzzles, games, books, and some paper trains and crafts. They need these things more than ever, they were grateful for the 10 DVD’s I brought them yesterday.

These displaced elderly people are struggling with their new circumstance, often depressed and disoriented. I think this is the time give them some hope and joy and connection in their lives. The time for them to go home is coming, not quite here.

This is the critical part, coming up I could use some help with outings, if you care to contribute  you can do so via Paypal, [email protected] or by check, Jon Katz, Mansion Fund, P.O. Box 205, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816. You can also donate easily by using major credit cards by clicking on the Support The Army Of Good button at the bottom of each post.

I thank you and the Mansion residents thank you. Small donations are as welcome as larger ones.

3 Comments

  1. Are cards, letters, etc., to the residents still useful? Should they still, all be sent to the Mansion? Your work is so important; thank you.

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