HomeNewsSENIORS MOVE AROUND TOWN ON NEW TRIP TRAILER

SENIORS MOVE AROUND TOWN ON NEW TRIP TRAILER

 Pull-behind RV offers safe mobility for nursing home residents
Orange City Area Health System (OCAHS) recently purchased a seven-passenger RV — referred to as a “trip trailer” — to give seniors rides around town to various outings and community events. According to Char TenClay, OCAHS Director of Senior Care, “I learned about these trailers from an activity coordinator, and when I saw one in use at another nursing home in the region, I thought it was the best thing since sliced bread!” OCAHS is building a new nursing home, Prairie Ridge Care Center, and TenClay planned on getting a trip trailer for the residents to coincide with the opening of the new facility. “Why wait?” she thought. So the trailer, and a new ToolCat utility work machine — which will be used for snow removal and lawn-mowing at Prairie Ridge — was purchased in time to give residents of the health system’s two current nursing homes fun, safe transport around Orange City this summer. The trailer seats seven residents and a staff person, and accommodates four wheelchairs. Volunteers drive the ToolCat, and communicate with the staff person on board via radio, taking residents to picnics, out for ice cream or dinner, and to band concerts in the park.