Hamilton Grove Stories

After the COVID-19 epidemic passed, the team members at Hamilton Grove took a collective deep breath as things began to return to normal. As the dust settled, two observant team members noticed something sad and disturbing with a few of their residents.

As our residents became able to receive visitors again, the team noticed a few of our most vulnerable were not receiving any visitors at all. No family, no friends. Folks were returning to normal, but being alone had become the new normal for some of our residents.

Carol Swope, a Greencroft Communities Board Member, began creating what would eventually become the Hamilton Grove Companion Program. First, she put a call out to all Hamilton Grove volunteers to gauge interest in the program. The turnout was a pleasant surprise; many of the volunteers were eager to take on a Companion. Next, she created a training program for these volunteers focusing on dependability, compassion, ideas for starting caring conversations, and rules and regulations regarding the facility.

Then, a necessary hurdle, a background check. Lastly, she asked the residents to list their favorite things such as hobbies, interests, and games. The volunteers would look through these lists and decide who they felt they might have the best chance at connecting with. Once their Companion was chosen, the magic began.

 "Carol taught us so much; not only tips on how to get a conversation going but also how to respect their privacy and how to respect their home," says Melody Povlock, a volunteer in the Companion Program at Hamilton Grove. "It really gave us the confidence we needed to introduce ourselves into their lives. Carol's training was extremely helpful and thorough."

It's no wonder that Carol cares so much about how Companions interact with their residents - Carol's own mother was a resident at Hamilton Grove during her golden years. So, for Carol, it's not only a matter of best practices but a personal matter near to her heart.

As the Companion Program took flight, Carol moved on to other projects. Liz West, a team member and Volunteer Coordinator at Hamilton Grove, had been simultaneously creating a more robust volunteer program by revamping the old one. Carol passed her the reins, and Liz decided to pull the Companion Program into her purview so she could expand upon it and manage all of the volunteers under one umbrella.

"Carol was really the one that started it, but we have been working hard to expand on it because of the positive results and feedback we have received," says Liz. "It has really made an impact on our residents."

"I already volunteered here through the Friends of Hamilton program," says Brenda Deschoff, a volunteer in the Companion Program at Hamilton Grove. "So I was already familiar, but Liz's work really helped us understand the facility better. The second training explained to us the different phases of the facility and what to expect between healthcare, assisted living, and independent living. Our training taught us how to relate to those people individually at these different stages of their life."

To be selected for the Companion Program, residents are first identified by need. The team member observes the resident and assesses if there would be a benefit, mental or physical, to the resident's well-being. Once a need is identified, the team member collects a rough profile on the resident based on their personality; likes and dislikes, interests, hobbies, and background. Without violating HIPM, the team member also briefs the volunteer on the abilities and mobility of the resident.

Connecting with residents right away is not always easy for team members to do, but volunteers seem to have more luck. Visiting a resident simply to chat, laugh, play cards, or bake cookies opens them up to socializing in a way that team member members may not be able to. This kind of interaction not only improves the well­-being and longevity of the resident, but also gives the facility important and timely insight into the mind and mental wellness of the resident. It also provides the resident with an anchor to the facility; a reason to feel like they belong.

"I have learned that touch and eye contact is really important," says Brenda. "Those are the necessities. After that, it really depends on the resident. We stay as long as they need us there. Sometimes, they just want to chat; talk about family or the past. Other times you can tell they really need you to stay longer, so that's what we do."

Currently, the Companion Program is focused in Healthcare, with plans to get Companions paired with residents in other living situations.

"Healthcare is definitely where we have the highest need for Companions. The residents in Healthcare have the hardest time getting family to visit them consistently. It's difficult for their loved ones to find that much time off work," Liz said. ''As we get more volunteers, we hope to expand."

The positive impact of the Companion Program can be felt all over the Hamilton Grove campus, even within the volunteers themselves.

"I feel good knowing that I have brightened someone's time here," Brenda says. "They may not even remember it later, but at the time, they so enjoy it. I have a Companion that just shines up when she sees me come into the room. I do it as payback. I feel like I have received so much, so I do it to give back. You know when you are with them that they are fully there with you - that is their time, and they so appreciate it, and you did that for them."

For many residents, it has been a long time since someone has paid full and undivided attention to them. Once most folks enter adulthood, in this bustling world, it is rare to have the undivided care and attention of another-and this is exactly what the Companions of Hamilton Grove are providing for their residents, which is uniquely special.

While visiting their residents, Companions are encouraged to note any changes, positive or negative, in their resident's mood or well-being. These vital insights can be shared with team members to head off potential issues or assist with an ongoing issue that the resident may not have been comfortable speaking with team members directly about.

"Those notes from our Companions help us so much as team member members. They let us know what else we could be doing for our residents," says Liz. "When they (Companions) interact with our residents, they interact in a different way than our team member does. So, they are sometimes able to pull out some knowledge they may not have known. Then, we can care even better because of the work of our volunteers."

Another effect of the Companion Program that no one had planned for was the positive impact it would also have on the team members at Hamilton Grove.

"The other thing that our Companions do is brighten our team members' days. Our nurses, our CNAs, they are here all the time. They know our residents so well. When our Companions spend time with our residents, the team members see a huge difference in the residents' mood. It changes the residetns' day. When they have better days, it makes the days easier for the team members. We are all a big family here, so it goes a long way," says Liz.

All of these effects have proven that the Companion Program at Hamilton Grove has been wildly successful, but the Companions have another reason they think the program is taking off.

"I think it has much to do with Greencroft's values, their mission, and being faith-based," Brenda says. "Things are done differently here. You have some of these other facilities focused on profit. That's where things go downhill. The bottom line becomes about the money and not about the care. That isn't the case here."

"It's a treat to come here!" Melody laughs.

"We're just getting started here," says Liz. "I still feel like we have so much more to do. It's hard to start a program like this, but so worth it for our residents."