Commission on Inclusion proposes nursing-home volunteer pilot at Hudson Springs

The chair of the Commission on Inclusion proposed the commission pilot a volunteer program at a single nursing home, with a tentative target of the first week in August, to test small-group activities and reduce volunteer overwhelm.

Members raised practical concerns about staffing and resident availability on weekends and suggested starting with a regular, predictable slot — for example, a first-Saturday-at-11 a.m. schedule — so facility activity staff can plan. The chair said the pilot would let the commission learn what works before expanding to additional homes.

Commission discussion highlighted several specific approaches to reduce barriers to volunteer participation: running small-group activities so volunteers support one another; scheduling recurring events to make planning easier for facility staff; and beginning with simple, low‑stress activities (games, a mock car wash using light misting, music or movie nights) rather than frequent weekly commitments.

Members also discussed a remote option to multiply reach: using existing facility TVs to stream a central activity from a host site to other nursing homes simultaneously. Mike suggested the commission could "do a live stream" from one host facility while other facilities watch on their TVs, and members responded that rotating host sites could allow the program to be shared more widely without sending volunteers to every location.

Action and next steps: the chair proposed Hudson Springs as the first pilot site and asked Nikki to email local nursing homes and forward any responses to the group so a definitive site and date can be set. Nikki agreed to reach out and circulate replies to the commission. The commission agreed to revisit progress at its next meeting.

The commission did not take a formal vote on the pilot; members recorded the assignment and plan to report back.