Fairvern Nursing Home’s Fall Fair successful at engaging residents, families and staff
‘The reactions from the residents were just fantastic’
Tuesday October 27, 2009 -- Deron Hamel
Fairvern Nursing Home’s recent Fall Fair was successful at achieving its mission of engaging residents, families and staff members in an array of events hosted by the Huntsville long-term care home.

Life enrichment co-ordinator Pam Leeder says the best outcome from the day was the happiness exhibited by residents who participated in the annual event.

“The reactions from the residents were just fantastic,” says Leeder.

Of the home’s 76 residents, about 40 participated in the event, as well as their families, staff members and volunteers, notes Leeder.

“We had a really good turnout,” she says.

Leeder, who has worked at the home for a year, says she has organized similar fairs while working at other long-term care homes and put her personal stamp on the fair’s flavour.

Ensuring a high level of resident involvement topped her list of priorities for the event, she says.

A major component of this year’s event was creativity. Residents were encouraged to make their own flower arrangements and autumn decorations.

“Other people got their family members to bring in items from their garden and a lot of the knitters put in entries for knitting and crafts,” says Leeder.

“The residents were really involved with creating items to be judged and families were involved and volunteers were involved and staff members, so it was a whole home event.”

Other activities included displays and carnival-like games — such as a ball toss and fishing games — where prizes handed out.

Organizers designed the event to make sure everyone was successful.

“We had ribbons and we had prizes, and we didn’t make it so that some people would get a ribbon and some wouldn’t — we had participation ribbons,” says Leeder.

“Everybody got a prize (and residents) just loved the ribbons.”

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