National Nursing Home Week will begin on Mother's Day, May 10 and continue through May 16, 2009.

AHCA established the week-long celebration in 1967. Please visit their Official Website for additional information and resources.

"Nurturing a Love that Lasts" is the 2009 theme for National Nursing Home Week. This will encourage all to think of generations of parents and grandparents nurturing future generations to carry on life and family traditions. A supportive and caring environment, such as a nursing home, nurtures and enables residents and families to continue growing, learning and teaching through various ways. Nursing home staff, residents and volunteers nurture a caring environment that values communication, relationships and partnership. As Christian Volunteers, we share with them the Love of Christ, which is everlasting.

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We strongly suggest that you send a Public Service Announcement (PSA) to the local and national radio, TV, and newspaper media. We have developed the one below. Please feel free to use it and to modify it with your local information. You could send it by email, regular mail, or hand deliver it to local facilities.

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PSA: National Nursing Home Week, May 10-16, 2009
From: Faithful Friends Nursing Home Ministry, Address
Contact: Larry Wasserman, Founder
Phone: XXX-XXX-XXXX
For Use: May 10- May 16
Length: 30 seconds

May 10th marks the start of National Nursing Home Week, which has been celebrated since 1967 after being established by the American Health Care Association (ACHA).

"Nurturing a Love that Lasts" is the 2009 theme for National Nursing Home Week. This will encourage all to think of generations of parents and grandparents nurturing future generations to carry on life and family traditions. A supportive and caring environment, such as a nursing home, nurtures and enables residents and families to continue growing, learning and teaching through various ways. Nursing home staff, residents and volunteers nurture a caring environment that values communication, relationships and partnership. As Christian Volunteers, we share with them the Love of Christ, which is everlasting.

James M. Borrie, author of "Peter Pan", said " Those who bring sunshine into the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves." Over the last 16 years, our lives have been enriched by visiting the elderly, and this quote has rung true time and time again.

We have prepared a special web page for this event on our extensive Faithful Friends web site.

http://www.faithfulfriends.org/NNHW.html

You may also request our trifold ministry brochure by clicking on the "Contact" Button on our Home Page.

Please feel free to call us at XXX-XXX-XXXX for more information or for a short telephone interview.

Faithful Friends is a non-profit organization that serves the public by promoting the needs of the elderly in Care Facilities and by encouraging and equipping individuals and groups to make caring visits to them.

Larry & Sandy Wasserman
Faithful Friends Nursing Home Ministry
http://www.faithfulfriends.org/

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You may download this PSA as a Microsoft Word File.

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Here are some things you can do:

• You can get more information from the Official National Nursing Home Week Web Site.
• For assistance in developing a PSA, visit this web site.
• Visit The National Nursing Home Web Page from the Sonshine Society
• Visit Making Memories 101 for some ideas for National Nusing Home Week.
• Request time for a Ministry Moment during a church service
• Place a related insert in a church bulletin
• Utilize a Ministry Table at the rear of the church
• Send a Public Service Announcement to a local radio station and suggest an interview
• Plan a special visit to a Care Facility on Mother's Day
• Take a look at our Bulletin Insert Page and consider doing something similar.
• Print out the "Letter From An 80 Year Old Woman To Her Children" and make available at church along with info about your ministry. You may use a Microsoft Word File that can be directly printed.
• Read "Comments by Mother Teresa About Nursing Homes" and consider using some of the content in an article.
• You can check out resources at Annie's Mother's Day Links Page.
• You can read this Mother's Day Devotional from Daily Guideposts.