Published: November 20, 2009 12:41 pm      

Life Care reaches for stars

Residents of Life Care Center of Morehead are getting out and enjoying life. Among many adventures, Life Care residents are exploring nature with their new telescope.

“We’ve had it for over a month,” said Kevin Trent, Life Care Center executive director. “It is something new that the residents wanted to do as an activity. The telescope was purchased for them. We are working with the university to go out and help us to use the telescope. There is a group of six residents who are doing this.”

Kenny Butler, a resident and president of the resident’s activity council, said the nursing home received the Meade telescope about two weeks ago. The resident activity council and the activities department came up with the funds to pay for the telescope. It cost the residents about $3,000. They purchased it from the Meade Company in New York.

Receiving the telescope is a blessing for the residents, Butler said.

“It’s really exciting to have it,” he said. “We can see the stars up close rather than seeing them on TV.”

Having the telescope is a learning experience for the residents.

“You get to see what the planets are made of,” he said. “We have a guy from the university who comes to set it up for us. He knows so much more about it than we do.”

Just because people live at Life Care doesn’t mean they are incapable enjoying life and activities, Butler said.

“We can still do some things,” he said.

“The telescope gives residents another activity to share and the opportunity to socialize with their peers who have the same interest in common,” said Activities Director Linda Colburn.

Ronnie Buckner, a resident and a member of the council, said people think that all residents do is sit around. He wants the public to know that is not the case.

“It shows people we have more things to do than to sit here,” Buckner said. “We might be down but we are not out.”

Buckner is excited about having the telescope because he always watches Discovery Channel shows about astronomy.

“Astronomy is one of my passions,” Butler added.

Members of the community are welcome to make donations to the activity fund.

“We sell items that are used or new that people have donated as a way to raise money for the activity fund,” Butler said. “If anyone wants to donate money to the fund or bring items they don’t want, they can bring them here.”

For more information, contact Butler at 784-7518.

Many people have the idea going to live in a nursing home is negative, said Trent, Life Care’s director.

Residents go on trips to Wal-Mart, horse farms, fish hatchery and plays, for example.

“Life doesn’t have to change just because you’re in the facility,” Trent said. “That’s with rehab and long term residents. People who live here lived dignified lives. We just want that to continue here. We are will always be a long-term care facility.

“We don’t want to be the typical nursing home with typical nursing home activities,” Trent said. “We still do Bingo and have church services and things. Just because people are residents in this facility it doesn’t mean that they are not a part of the community. We want them to continue to feel like they’re still a part of the community even though they left their homes to live here.”

Trent said the LCC staff members are always looking for ways to get residents out of facility and into the community.

“If anyone has any ideas, activities to help get residents out of the facility, please let us know,” he said.