Starting Your Own Valentine's Day of Compassion
 

STEP 1 - FIND AND CONTACT the NURSING HOME

Yelp is the best resource to locate nearby nursing homes. When contacting a nursing home, speak with the activities director or program director to explain that you're part of a local church that is looking for an opportunity to hold a program on Valentine's Day for their residents.  Most nursing homes rarely have any programs on Valentine's Day, so your inquiry is often well-received.

• Consider any factors that may fit your team better, such as language or other considerations.

  • If your group has a number of foreign speakers, you may want to visit a nursing home whose residents might skew towards an ethnic demographic.

  • There are typically different types of nursing homes:

    • Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNF): Often referred to as "sniffs", residents in these nursing homes require care from trained nurses who are administering care based on a doctor's guidelines. Residents typically have restricted dietary needs as well as scheduled medications. Residents are typically divided between long-term and short-term care. Often short-term care residents are there for a few weeks as part of a physical therapy/rehabilitation program.

    • Assisted Living Facilities: Residents are able to live independently but often have common areas and services provided for them, such as dining services in a cafeteria.

• We recommend planning a 1-hour program in order to give the activities director the flexibility in scheduling your visit.

• Be sure to call and remind the activity director before the actual visit.
  

STEP 2 - LEARN about the home

Learn about the Policy and Procedures for individual home regarding:

• Whether photography or videography permitted?

• What the visiting hours and restrictions are?

• The aspects of your program and team size.

• Whether there are any specific parking rules.
  

STEP 3- RECRUIT your team

Gather your team, and inform them of the program, time, date. Determine the following tasks and assign them:

• A gospel-centered message

• Songs – any guitarist / pianist? If not, you can get an MP3 of a soundtrack.

• Crafts

  • You should generally make most of the crafts ahead of time and pass them out because residents are often unable to actively participate. Crafts with a simple finishing step that the resident can personalize are good ideas. (e.g., a simple flower arrangement in which the resident's name can be imprinted onto the potholder with scrapbook material.)

• Giveaways

  • Large-print bibles, bookmarks, books, gospel tracts

• Equipment

  • See this comprehensive equipment list

• Skits

  • If you want to include a dramatic element in your program, remember to keep it simple and demonstrative. Don't rely too much on talking or narration, as it maybe difficult for residents to follow.
    

STEP 4 - prepare your team

We recommend spending a few hours with your team to educate them about the facility and kinds of people they will meet.

• Residents may have unpredictable reactions to your team's presence. Always be cordial and accommodating to their preferences.

• Many residents typically have medical issues such as dementia, vision/hearing impairment, or challenged motor skills. We recommend reviewing a presentation on dementia to help your team adjust to this new environment.

• Review the Do's and Don't Guidelines

Program Elements

GOSPEL Message 

• Sermon Resources

• Popular Passages for Nursing Homes

  • Zephaniah 3:17, 1 John 4:20, John 3:16

• Popular Passage for Men’s Shelter

  • Prodigal Son (Luke 15)

• Popular Passages for Women’s Shelter

  • Samaritan Woman (John 4)

  • Zephaniah 3:17

Giveaways

• Frames with hearts and verses: Zephaniah 3:17, 1 John 4:20, John 3:16

• Bookmarks with Bible verses

• Books: Return of the Prodigal, More Than a Carpenter, Bible, Daily Bread

• Socks, blankets, scarves

• Transcript of the message:

  • Make it large print (minimum 14-point font)

  • Make it available for residents to keep if they want to read it.

Sample Program

• Sample Nursing Home program (1 hour)

  • 5:45 - 6:00 pm: Set up the room with sound equipment, props, stands, etc. (15 min)

  • 6:00 - 6:10 pm: Pass out the programs (if any), introduce yourself, sing praise songs (10 min)

  • 6:15 - 6:30 pm: Give message, may include a short skit (15 min)

  • 6:30 - 6:40 pm: Sing final song and close in prayer. Can give invitation to accept Christ (10 min)

  • 6:40 - 7:00 pm: Craft time, talk to individual residents, pray for them (20 min)

  • 7:00 - 7:10 pm: Take down the equipment, and gather back to pray with the team (10-15 min)
    

• Sample Men/Women/Children’s Shelter program (1.5 hrs)

  • 5:45 - 6:00 pm: Set up the room with sound equipment, props, stands, etc. (15 min)

  • 6:00 - 6:10 pm: Pass out the programs (if any), introduce yourself, sing praise songs (10 min)

  • 6:15 - 6:30 pm: Give message, may include a short skit (15 min)

  • 6:30 - 6:35 pm: Give testimony – should be fitting for the audience

  • 6:40 - 6:50 pm: Sing more songs, have altar call / invitation time for prayer

  • 6:50 - 7:10 pm: Depending on atmosphere, either play group games, have ice cream social type of “talking” time, or make crafts together

  • 7:15 - 7:25 pm: Take down the equipment and gather back to pray with the team (10-15 min)

Do's and Don'ts

DO

• Ask for residents' names, introduce yourself, and find out about them

• Smile a lot!

• Ask if you can pray for them, and if they have a prayer request, pray for them

• Prepare and share a 3-minute gospel presentation

• Sit with them, be near them during the program

• Pair up with another team member if possible