Peachtree Centre honored by Appalachian Council

Volunteers with the ombudsman program were recognized Thursday: back row (left to right) Lamar Bailes, volunteer ombudsman at Richard M. Cambell Veterans Nursing Home; Donald Groezinger, volunteer ombudsman at the Peachtree Centre in Gaffney; Carol Groezinger, volunteer ombudsman at the Peachtree Centre in Gaffney; Autumn Cole, social worker at the Peachtree Centre in Gaffney; Joe Pollard, administrator of Windsor House of Greenville; Celia Glenn, volunteer ombudsman at Windsor House of Greenville; Nancy Rusinko, director of resident services at Windsor House of Greenville; Nikki Stanton, staff development director at Magnolia Place of Spartanburg; Nancy Eaker, volunteer ombudsman at Magnolia Place of Spartanburg; Nancy Hawkins, regional long term care ombudsman; Audrey Huston, social worker at Magnolia Place of Spartanburg; front row (left to right) Cindy Matthews, administrator of the Peachtree Centre in Gaffney; Jessica Arnone, volunteer ombudsman. Peachtree Centre was honored Wednesday by the South Carolina Appalachian Council of Governments' (SCACOG) Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program.

"The SCACOG Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program has implemented a program new to South Carolina: The Volunteer Ombudsman Program," said Jessica Arnone, volunteer coordinator for the program. "Long- Term Care Ombudsmen advocate for the rights of residents in long-term care facilities. Volunteers serve as friendly visitors and lend a listening ear to residents."

But Arnone is quick to point out that without willing facilities, the volunteer program would cease to exist. On Wednesday, facilities from across the Upstate were recognized for their participation in the voluntary program.

"Since the volunteer ombudsman program is not required for nursing homes and assisted living facilities, the volunteers can only go into facilities that have offered to participate in the program," Arnone said. "Currently there are five facilities in the Upstate with volunteers making weekly visits and another 17 on the waiting list to receive a volunteer. These 22 facilities are pioneers in the program and prove that they are truly trying to promote the best quality of care for their residents."

Facilities that currently have an active volunteer were invited for a reception in their honor at the Appalachian Council of Governments in Greenville.

"Facilities given awards of recognition for participation in the program were the Peachtree Centre in Gaffney, Magnolia Place in Spartanburg, Windsor House in Greenville, Mountainview in Spartanburg, and Richard M. Campbell Veterans Home in Anderson," Arnone added. "Michael Stogner, Aging Services Director for the Appalachian Council of Governments, spoke at the event and thanked all the guests for their dedication to the volunteer program."

And the volunteer nature of the program illustrates a facility's dedication to it's residents.

"I really appreciate these facilities stepping up and taking on our new program," Arnone said. "It shows that they try to provide the best care possible and aren't trying to hide anything by preventing us from coming in and making the lives of their residents just a little bit better."

For information on becoming a volunteer ombudsman, or volunteering at your nursing home or assisted living facility to be a part of this program, please contact Arnone at (864) 242-9733 or by e-mail at:

jarnone@scacog.org.