Officers from Her Majesty’s Prison showed their care for the “precious pearls” in the country by donating goods to the Department of Social Services’ Soldier Road Home for Senior Citizens Wednesday.
Public Relations Officer for the Prison Sergeant Rolean Smith said the penal institution wanted to give the Home “tangible things” that it needed to operate on a daily basis such as dishes, flatware, bowls and blenders.
“We also cooked them (the residents) a nice hearty soup to give them physical nourishment,” Sergeant Smith said. “We are also going to be spending a little time with them to let them know that we care.”
She explained that each year around Prison Recognition Week, the institution tries to give back to society and it now wants to contribute on a more consistent basis. As a result, Sergeant Smith said one of the initiatives the Prison has planned is the adoption of the Soldier Road Home for Senior Citizens.
“We wrote around to different charitable operations and the Home said that it would be more than happy to receive help from Her Majesty’s Prison; we care about our precious pearls so we just wanted to give back to them.”
Senior Supervisor and Administrator at the Soldier Road Senior Citizen Home Janet White said there are 10 seniors living at the Home, although it has the capacity to maintain 13.
Ms. White appreciates what Her Majesty’s Prison is doing. She explained that the occupants of the home would love for family and friends to visit more often.
“I think it is important especially for family members and the public to reach out to them because most of the persons they usually see are just the staff here and some visitors,” she said.
“A lot of the seniors would love to see some of their own relations come and assist them with some of their needs rather than just the government doing everything.”
Ms. White said the seniors usually end up at the home because if they do have a family, their family members cannot provide for them. So the elders go through a process at the Department of Social Services where they have to be assessed, approved and then placed in one of the homes the Department runs.
She said family members visit on occasion but not like they should. “There are a lot of businesses, service clubs, churches and students from schools that are always visiting them. So we always have visitors.”
But she added, “It is a group home so they get to live like a family. So even in the absence of their own family, they get to live as brothers and sisters and the staff becomes like their adopted grandchildren.”