Activity Reminders for All Facilities and Volunteers Written by Michele Ferrauilo and Mary Nell Schmitz, Recreation Therapists, Stratton VA Medical Center

Here are some important things to consider when visiting a VA facility and working with our patients: Meals Please remember that the veterans we serve are struggling with the same issues that many of us are: obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, willpower and in some cases difficulty eating/swallowing foods. All meals should contain healthy items like fresh fruits and vegetables, less starch, condiments to the side, less salt and smaller portions. If we can keep these simple things in mind when planning luncheons/dinners, our veterans will benefit immensely. Activities Activities - as the word indicates - active pursuits are healthier for all of us. Please take time to plan or have available options to sitting following a meal. A walk or a physical game (bocce, croquet, horseshoes), helps digestion AND expends some of those delicious calories. Board games, casino games, speakers on local items of interest are a wonderful way to improve cognitive skills, as well as to have fun! Socialization Any time we can integrate socialization with the veterans, it is another positive in our treatment planning. Please join us for the meal, rather than just serving the meal. Take a few moments following the meal to visit with the veterans. When we are arriving and leaving, it takes time to get the group together, please help the veterans with that unstructured time by visiting with them. Alternative Activities Be creative when thinking of alternative activities… a visit to one of your local points of interest, entertainment or music, maybe an activity that your organization is known for. Please let us know if you think there is something that you could add to our event schedule. We would love to hear your ideas. Caution: E-mail Scam Several Military Bank of America customers have reported receiving an email message indicating that their service(s) will be deactivated/deleted if the customer does not renew immediately. The email further indicates the individual should call the customer number toll free at 866-937-7658 as soon as possible. Please note that this has nothing to do with military retired pay or VA pay or the military of any kind. It is a scam and the fraud department has been notified. If you receive an email entitled: IMPORTANT NOTICE FROM Military Bank of America PAYMENTS & TRANSFERS DEPARTMENT (with a reference number at the end) do NOT respond by calling the toll-free number. If you have any questions about suspicious emails, always contact your bank directly, using the telephone number imprinted on the back of your credit card or bill.   Welcome to Our Community Stakeholders! We would like to take a moment to welcome many new recipients of this newsletter and reconnect with some of our long term friends! You are an important population that we reach out to in order to improve our contact within the communities we serve. You are corporations, small business owners, human service agencies, and private citizens that add to the impact of our VA Voluntary Service program and the veterans we serve by providing a resource where a need was under or unfulfilled. In these pages you will find stories of individuals and service organizations that have come forward to lend a hand. They have provided this help without much fanfare because they want to ensure that veterans receive not just top-notch health care but the extra measure of care that only they can provide. You too can be a part of this team! In this issue and those to follow, you will find many ways to become a valued stakeholder in your local Medical Center. Please consider this an open invitation to participate.   Ways Community Stakeholders Can Help: • Member Item Grants • Support employee volunteerism • Donate company stock over runs • Participate in opportunities to serve at events • Sponsor fundraisers at your facility • Attend VA special events

Fall 2007 Voluntary News Director's Message | Activity Reminders Albany | Bath | Canandaigua | Syracuse | Western New York Voluntary Staff

VISN 2 Home | Sitemap | Alphabetical Site Index | What's New | Contact Us | Plug-ins