For a few years now, Sheila Prusacki, a retired art teacher and now VNA volunteer, has been gathering her art supplies and heading to South County to visit and instruct chronically and terminally ill residents at two care facilities on various art projects. This year, alongside other volunteers, Sheila helped participating residents create Valentine’s day themed heart-shaped decorations to hang on windows and walls.
When asked about the importance of the program and how it helps home-bound people, Sheila said, "It’s almost like a type of art therapy. You can see the benefits of the activities displayed on the faces of each person. Their moods brighten when they are busy creating and enjoying themselves. It’s a great opportunity for them to be creative and social."
These kinds of programs are important because they empower participants while giving them much needed contact with our volunteers. It’s very positive and rewarding for them to create things in a social setting.
Sue Risch, VNA Volunteer Coordinator, has been working with VNA volunteers for the past 17 years. She understands the importance of such programs and how they make a difference.
When asked what she’d like to see moving forward with this program, Sue said, “There are a lot of people with skills. We’re hoping these activities will inspire more people to share their skills with our patients and others that are home-bound. We’d love to have more opportunities, like this one, to offer in St. Louis.”
VNA encourages people with training and skills to contact us to see how their services can benefit our patients.
To learn more, contact www.vnastl.org or (314) 918-7171.
