Patients in the Acute Care for Elders (ACE) program on Daly 6A will have a special gift this month. Volunteers and Baystate Health Foundation friends Sue and Kevin Lawson made a delivery of more than 35 hand-painted heart ornaments for patients to take home for Valentine’s Day.
The hearts are hung on a tree in the Community Room in the unit, which was supported through a generous gift from Kevin and Sue, and are a reminder of love and heart health for Heart Month.
The team on Daly 6A were thrilled to receive the hearts and noted that they appreciated the continued support from the Lawsons.
“The donations are so beautifully painted. They are made from the heart, which makes it so much more meaningful,” shared Daly 6A Nurse Manager Rhonda Fernandes. “It will be an honor to give the heart ornaments to the patients on Valentine’s Day. I am positive it will put a smile on their faces and remind them of the care given on the ACE Unit."
The Acute Care for Elders program is a nationally recognized geriatric care model that is proven to lead to significantly improved clinical outcomes, while preserving the well-being and strength of patients so that they can more easily return to their homes and independent lives. The program’s specialized approach delivers transformative care and support – from reducing falls and adjusting medications to helping people reclaim their quality of life or make decisions on end of life care – in a space where an elderly population feels comfortable.
“Having helped our own parents with health challenges as they aged, we did not want funding to be the issue that keeps this community’s elders from receiving the compassionate care they deserve,” shared Sue. “We give what support we can – and we hope anyone in this community who has helped an aging loved one, or who is coping with the challenges of aging themselves, will join us in giving back.”
“We believe in the life-changing importance of this care,” Sue added.
Learn more about how you can support ACE through Baystate Health Foundation.