From Haunted Trails to playful frights, Consulate Health Care’s Lakeside Oaks Care Center in Dunedin, FL is ready for Halloween. Activities director Melisa and maintenance director, Billy, are working on the 2nd annual Haunted Trails event ready to scare and delight local community visitors and residents.
Melisa is thrilled to host this year’s event because “having the Haunted Trails as one of my first big events will really show the residents that I am here for them, and their happiness is on my mind.” Melisa recently joined Lakeside Oaks and has set out to make a difference in the lives of the residents she works with. She’s noticed seniors sometimes feel as though they’ve lost th
eir sense of purpose or are less interested in the activities they once enjoyed. To reignite that purpose, Melisa quickly positioned herself as the “fun parent” of assisted living. She approaches every activity with one question in mind, “would I like to do this?” Melisa wants her residents going to bed at night looking forward to tomorrow’s activities.
Melisa’s passion for serving residents comes from her desire to give the elderly a voice. When it became clear her residents were interested in having Haunted Trails again this year, she immediately put their requests into action. After coordinating the location’s availability with Billy, Lakeside Oaks’ maintenance director, they both set out to gauge the community’s interest in a 2nd annual Haunted Trails. The community responded enthusiastically, expressing how much they enjoyed last year’s event. With the green light from the care center, residents, and the community, the Haunted Trails event is a go!
The event features residents in costume “scaring” visitors as they make their way along the Haunted Trails, where guests are offered candy, face painting, and games. It’s an event residents get excited about because it gives them the opportunity to interact with the community in a fun, lighthearted way. To see photos from this year’s event, visit our Facebook page to click through our photo album! http://bit.ly/1PL0zYD
Being a caregiver to residents at Lakeside Oaks provides our employees with a unique understanding of the seniors they serve. We empower our residents to use their voices, with our caregivers acting as their advocates. Melisa and Billy demonstrated this commitment by listening to and acting on their residents’ interests. Thanks to their compassion, the residents of Lakeside Oaks and the local community will again have the opportunity to revel in Halloween festivities at this year’s Haunted Trails.
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