The beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic meant increased isolation, loneliness and depression for nursing home residents who could not receive visitors and even had limited interactions with one another.
Thomas Hunter Middle School sixth grade social studies teacher Leslie Hudgins decided to help spread some cheer to the residents of Riverside Convalescent Center in Mathews last summer, only a few months into the pandemic.
Hudgins discovered that an assisted living facility in Texas had a pen pal program between facility residents and community members and thought that a program like that was needed in Mathews. She contacted Richard Miles, Mathews Riverside Convalescent Center Activities Director, to get the ball rolling on a pen pal program.
Since there were so many residents who were not able to write back to their pen pal, Hudgins and Miles decided to make the interaction one-way.
“It was pretty much started because of COVID,” she said.
Hudgins created the “Mathews Nursing Home Pen Pals” Facebook page to get people involved in the project. She said her fellow teachers at THMS, especially her sixth grade team, were eager to get involved and to help as well as neighbors and friends.
“Their friends told their friends and it spread like that,” said Hudgins.
Last fall, the THMS sixth grade team made trick or treat bags for the residents. Miles was able to pass out the bags at the convalescent center so the residents could trick or treat.
At Christmastime, Hudgins wrapped donated Hallmark ornaments for the residents.
Hudgins said that there has been a lot of community involvement with the pen pal project and that is why it has been so successful. Currently, the project has 77 volunteers.
Pen pals have sent residents cards, books, word searches, crossword puzzles, trinkets and holiday decorations. Hudgins said all residents like to receive snacks. Some volunteers even drop off a stack of cards and younger volunteers color lots of pictures for no resident in particular. Miles will pick residents who need their day brightened most for those gifts.
“It’s fun,” said Hudgins. “I enjoy it.”
Hudgins said that the gifts help break up residents’ days which are typically the same every day.
“If they get a snack, it helps their day be a little bit better,” she said.
Miles keeps Hudgins informed on the reactions of the residents when he delivers a gift to a resident. He gets comments from residents, such as “They don’t even know me and they sent me a gift.”
Hudgins said that the pen pal program could always use more participants. Residents of Mathews County are encouraged to join the private Facebook group Mathews Nursing Home Pen Pals to help with this project.
“We’ve had such good participation,” said Hudgins.
She also added that the residents can have more than one pen pal.
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