Press Releases

 

The Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore’s Carol Steffy Spirit of Esther Fund contributed $500.00 to establish a Care Cart Program at Deer’s Head Hospital.

 

Introduced on Valentine’s Day, the Care Cart Program was established “in memory of my mother, Esther Sinnott Moore, who was a very sharing person,” states Carol Steffy, a resident of the Eastern Shore who is building a legacy by creating a fund at the Community Foundation to encourage volunteerism and visitation in local nursing homes and senior centers while building capacity for existing senior care programs.  “My mother wanted visitors—that made her happiest.”

 

A candy striper or “Pinkie” as they were called when Steffy was 16 years old and volunteering at a hospital in Baltimore, the power of visiting patients in their rooms and sharing a book, magazine or brief conversation has not changed.  Human contact is critical to the care and well-being of patients.

 

Volunteering in a nursing home can be daunting.  Care Carts can serve as a prop or icebreaker to conversation for both the volunteer and patient when visiting patients in the hospital.  A Care Cart contains books and magazines, stuffed animals, and small toiletries.  Steffy will continue to stock donated magazines and books, as well as those specific book titles or magazines requested by the patients.  

 

According to Steffy, “My mother was a kind hearted and fun spirited woman.  She was very attentive to her loved ones and spent many hours visiting her older family members and friends in various homecare environments while seeing to their comfort and well-being.”

 

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, 50% of nursing home patients have no close relatives, 46% have no living children, and 60% have no visitors at all.  When considering these shocking statistics, one should also know that human contact is critical to the care and well-being of patients.  Patients who have good emotional and mental well-being actually respond to nursing and healthcare in a more positive light.

 

“We’re very excited about Carol’s enthusiasm in launching the Care Cart,” states Helen Young, Director of Volunteer Services, Deer’s Head Hospital Center.  “It’s an excellent way to promote more patient visits while making the patient and resident aware of our supplies.  The Carol Steffy Spirit of Esther Fund will allow us to purchase additional supplies that patients do request.”

 

Currently, the Care Cart operates once a week through three nursing home wings and the chronic hospital unit at Deer’s Head Hospital Center.

 

Of course, the intangible benefits to volunteering alone—such as pride, satisfaction and accomplishment are worthwhile reasons to serve.  For our communities, volunteering allows us to strengthen our neighborhoods, improve lives and solve problems.

 

“On so many levels, the Carol Steffy Spirit of Esther Fund is symbolic of charitable giving,” states Spicer Bell, President, Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore.  “The Fund represents the power of an individual’s desire to give back and honor the memory of a loved one as well as places a light on the importance of volunteerism and the giving of our time to those in need.” 

 

“The Care Cart can be a good introduction for both the volunteer and the patient,” states Steffy.  “The most important thing is you—you are the gift.”

 

If you are interested in supporting the Carol Steffy Spirit of Esther Care Cart Fund with a monetary donation or gently used books and magazines, please contact Carol Steffy at 410-543-2119 orcarolsteffy@hotmail.com.  If you are seeking volunteer opportunities at Deer’s Head Hospital Center, please contact Helen Young, Director of Volunteer Services, Deer’s Head Hospital Center at 410-543-4052 or hayoung@dhmh.state.md.us.  For additional volunteer opportunities, you can contact ShoreCAN at shorecan@cfes.org.