New Paltz Center's Creative Game Tourney For Nursing Week

by Jeff Jacomowitz

During the week following Mother's Day, nursing homes throughout the country treat their staff and residents to all sorts of interesting games and projects so to lift the spirits of the residents and, at the same time, show appreciation to their staffers of all of the hard work they continue to do. Most facilities offer similar projects such as drawings, playing guessing games, having ice cream treats and taking part in a particular week-long theme, but one facility on Jansen Road in New Paltz, NY tested their own creativity and decided on doing something highly entertaining and out-of-the-box.

The 77-bed New Paltz Center decided to do a 24-hour week-long game based on the board game Clue, but have real people involved as the game characters. The facility fully decorated the inside based on the looks of the infamous board game. The staff played in teams of two to guess who committed the crime and the recreation department had prizes for each shift each day.

Winner 1 (The team of Cayla Thorn (left) with resident Shirley Zackin (right)

Winner 2 (the team of Schreene Carter (left) with resident Julia Pearn (right)

"What a treat it was to have residents and staff around the clock be involved in the game," said Donna King, Recreation Director of New Paltz Center. "Everyone played, from our loving residents to our great staff. We didn't want to leave out our overnight staff so they were involved too!"

CNA Victor Ramirez, left, was a 3rd winner. He's with LPN and friend, Jessica Carlson

CNA Markiya Baxter was a fourth winner

The week-long tournament was talked about for days and it will be a week that the staff, residents and families will never forget.