Residents at Fairfield Healthcare Center of Laurel Baye enjoy an ‘ocean cruise.’
There’s never a dull moment at Fairfield Healthcare Center of Laurel Baye in Ridgeway. Under the direction of Healthcare Administrator Granda Myers, Activity Director Frances Maddox, the Center’s staff and volunteers, the residents are kept busy with social activities monthly. Their most recent celebration was National Nursing Home Week, which takes place at this time each year. Following on the heels of National Nursing Week, this is a time to spotlight the supportive and caring environment such as provided by nursing homes, enriching residents and families, helping them to grow, learn and teach. This special week was established in 1967 by the American Health Care Association. The activities during this time were designed to foster relationships between the generations and collect and preserve resident›s reminiscences. Also to strengthen the relationship with family members and to recognize the staff members who care for them daily.
There were planned activities for every day of the week at the Fairfield Healthcare Center. This year’s celebration had a cruise ship theme, as seen by the picture taken on a previous cruise. On the first day the kick-off included a bon voyage party for the sailing of the ‘S.S. Fairfield.’ Each resident had a passport and was served the Captain’s drink of the day. Another of the days was celebrated with a Hawaiian theme and the residents enjoyed the playing of island games and listening to island music. Western day featured a cookout sponsored by the Center’s dietary department that included hamburgers and hotdogs cooked outside on the grill. Other events featured a hog calling contest, jackpot bingo and casino games. The VFW post #8346 Freedom Dancers were unable to attend but the residents were entertained with line dancing by the Center’s staff.
Music for the celebration was furnished by long-time disk jockey, ‘the Party Doctor,’ Donald Prioleau and his nephew Gregg Prioleau. Donald Prioleau, who has played for the Center for many years, is well known as a member of Ridgeway Town Council. Sponsors for the week were Regional Ambulance Company of Columbia and Laurel Baye Healthcare. Volunteers included Fairfield County Sheriff’s Deputies, Harmony Care Hospice of Columbia, United Hospice of Rock Hill and Larry Patrick and Warren Ward of the Lugoff Optimist Club. As they have for the past 12 years, Olin Jackson Farms from Lugoff volunteered mule and wagon rides, always a favorite with the residents and their guests. Special guest for the event was Fairfield County Sheriff Herman Young with his deputies. After the week’s activities, many of the residents enjoyed a day at Lake Wateree May 29 for a cookout/picnic lunch and many more will enjoy the same outing June 5 and again June 12.
This was a week to honor all those who contribute to the nation’s nursing homes, residents, family members, employees and volunteers; a time to celebrate those who make a positive difference in their lives every day.
The Fairfield Healthcare Center of Laurel Baye was happy to receive a generous grant from Keep Fairfield Beautiful recently and they purchased many clusters of Knockout roses for the front of the Center. The residents get much pleasure in the flowers around the building and in the wheelchair accessible raised flower gardens.
