Volunteer residents provide spiritual support
Emelia Laurea is one of three Holy Family Hospital residents who volunteer their time to provide pastoral care to their fellow residents.
While Emelia will often sit with people who are ill, sometimes she and her fellow volunteers may simply spend time with someone who may be alone, or who may have minimal family support.
Emelia appreciates being able to help her fellow residents in this special way and says the experience is very gratifying.
“The people I sit with, they like it very much. You can see it in their eyes that they feel good. And it is especially nice when someone is sick because when you’re sick it is easy to feel depressed.
Emelia has been a resident at Holy Family since 2016 and feels very lucky to be a resident here — and to be in good health, too, given a serious fall she had experienced the previous year.
“I received very good care,” says Emelia, “and when I was better and ready to leave the hospital, my family worked with a social worker to help find a place for me to live and I am very happy it is Holy Family. Everyone is very friendly here. One of my daughters, Jessica, is a nurse, and Jessica said to me, ‘Mom, I think this place will be very good for you.’ And she was right.”
In addition to being home to Emelia and 141 other extended care residents, Holy Family also houses Providence’s main rehabilitation unit, which includes a 65-bed inpatient rehab unit that offers intensive therapy for older adults to overcome obstacles caused by strokes, arthritis, orthopedic trauma, or major surgeries.
Read the entire story here.
