Milford Girl Scout Fights Vitamin D Deficiency In Nursing Home

MILFORD, NH—A Milford Girl Scout earned scouting's highest honor this summer with her project to help nursing home residents get outside and fight vitamin D deficiency.

Erica Faucher has been visiting the residents of Crestwood Center for several years as part of the Young Kasamas club at Milford High School, according to a news release.

“Many of the residents don't get visited enough by family or friends and really appreciate youth from their community coming in to see them,” Faucher wrote in her final report for her award. “I care a lot about the residents there, and have even made close connections with a few of them. I really enjoy volunteering there. I wanted to help the residents more in some way that would make them happier. I found online that many nursing home residents across the globe do not get outside enough, and are vitamin D deficient as a result.”

So, she focused her Gold Award project on helping residents get more time in the sun.

“I wanted to do something for these people,” she said in a news release. “It’s linked with dementia and depression. It’s a problem all over the world. Getting people in the sun would help.”

Faucher built an accessible picnic table and swing to make it easier for residents in wheelchairs to relax outside. A family friend helped her build the swing.

She also put together a binder full of activity ideas for residents, created a website about the issue, and made a brochure on Vitamin D deficiency for Crestwood and other facilities to help inform the public.

The Gold Award is the highest honor in Girl Scouts. On average, Girl Scouts spent one to two years on their projects. The project must be sustainable after the girl's involvement ends.